OYO APC CRISIS: Governorship Aspirants Reject Local Reconciliation, Demand President Tinubu’s Direct Intervention

By The Political Desk | Ayekooto Media

July 19, 2026

 

IBADAN, OYO STATE — The internal crisis rocking the Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken a dramatic turn, as leading governorship aspirants have reportedly drawn a line in the sand regarding the party's ongoing peace efforts. 

Impeccable sources within the party have revealed to Ayekooto Media that during a recent closed-door meeting with the party's officially constituted reconciliatory committee, key aspirants vying for the 2027 gubernatorial ticket explicitly rejected the committee's capacity to resolve the entrenched disputes. Instead, they are insisting on the direct intervention of the party’s national leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The Trust Deficit

The core of the issue lies in a severe trust deficit. The Oyo APC has been fractured into various camps since the fallout of the 2023 elections, with lingering grievances over power-sharing, party structure, and allegations of marginalization. 

For the prominent governorship hopefuls, the local reconciliatory committee—no matter how well-intentioned—is perceived as either lacking the necessary political weight to enforce binding agreements or, worse, being subtly aligned with certain entrenched interests within the state party hierarchy.

"The aspirants made it clear that the fault lines in Oyo APC are too deep for a state-level committee to fix," a high-ranking party insider disclosed. "They believe that any peace accord signed locally will be discarded as soon as the primaries approach. They want the President to step in, look them in the eye, and guarantee a level playing field."

Why Tinubu?

The demand for President Tinubu’s intervention is a calculated political maneuver. As the ultimate arbiter in the APC, the President holds the power to harmonize the warring factions and ensure that the party machinery is not hijacked by any single bloc. 

The aspirants recognize that wresting power from the incumbent administration in Oyo State requires a united front. They are arguing that without a genuine, nationally-backed reconciliation process, the APC risks repeating the mistakes of the past, where internal sabotage severely weakened the party's chances at the polls.

The Road Ahead

This development places significant pressure on the national working committee of the APC and the Presidency. If the demands of the Oyo aspirants are ignored, the reconciliatory committee's efforts may amount to nothing more than a cosmetic exercise, potentially leading to further defections or voter apathy among party loyalists.

As the political chessboard is set for 2027, the ball is now squarely in Aso Rock's court. Will President Tinubu heed the call of the Oyo aspirants and deploy his legendary political engineering to unite the state chapter, or will the local committee be left to navigate the turbulent waters alone? 

Ayekooto Media will continue to monitor the situation closely as the battle for the Agodi Government House intensifies. 

David Alani Ige

Publisher/ Editor-in-Chief Ayekooto Media

Phunshor01@gmail.com | publisher@ayekootomediang.com

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