The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Sharafadeen Alli, alongside the party’s senatorial candidates and leaders, on Saturday visited President Bola Tinubu at his Lagos residence, where they expressed confidence in the party’s chances of reclaiming power in the state in 2027.
Speaking after the meeting, the Oyo APC chairman, Moses Adeyemo, said the delegation visited the president to brief him on the outcome of the party’s primary elections and preparations for the next governorship contest.
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Mr Adeyemo said Mr Tinubu was pleased with the party’s efforts and assured them of his support ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
“We have now come to report to our president that we’ve been able to do what he wanted us to do. He was very happy and told us that, by the grace of God, he is going to be with us until… 2027 when the governorship election will be held,” he said.
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APC confident of victory
The party chairman said the APC was not intimidated by the administration of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, expressing optimism that the opposition party would return to power in the state.
“Our candidate is Senator Sharafadeen Alli and we are not afraid of the current governor,” he said, adding that the party had mapped out strategies for the election but would not disclose them publicly.
“Everybody knows the current governor has been jumping from one party to the other. And anybody doing that kind of thing can never make it, I’m telling you. So we know the way we are going to, but we don’t want to disclose to you here,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr Alli said he was confident that the APC would emerge victorious in the governorship election scheduled for 2027.
The senator attributed his confidence to the support of President Tinubu, party leaders and supporters across the state.
“With the support of our father, the president, and our leaders who are here, and those are two, we are sure that by the grace of God, and our team of supporters in all strata, all levels of Oyo State, all sectors of the economy and communities, we are sure of victory by the grace of God.
“I am banking on my integrity, I am competent, I have the capacity, and I’m well experienced to ensure that we win the next election.
“And with the caliber of leaders that we have, you can’t use some of them here. Senators, former deputy governors, and we still have a lot at home. We are sure that by the grace of God, we’re going to win,” he said.
On his campaign strategy, Mr Alli said he would rely on his experience, competence and integrity to win the election.
He also highlighted the strength of the party’s leadership, citing the involvement of serving and former public office holders within the APC fold.
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The governorship candidate further disclosed that efforts were ongoing to unite members of the party following the primary election.
According to him, he had begun consultations with other aspirants even before the primary and had secured assurances of support from them should he emerge as the party’s candidate.
He added that party leaders had since commenced a reconciliation process aimed at bringing all stakeholders together ahead of the 2027 election.
“So I’ve been going around to appeal to all of them that we should all work together. And they have all assured me that after the primaries, if I emerge, they will support…And after we emerged, our leaders have commenced the process of reconciliation,” he said.
Mr Alli emerged as the party’s governorship candidate in Oyo State after he was declared the winner of the primary election in which he ran against the immediate past Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, earlier this month. Mr Adelabu resigned his ministerial appointment last month to jostle for the party’s governorship ticket in the state. Ahead of his resignation, he disclosed in press statement that he secured Mr Tinubu’s blessing to contest in the governorship primary election. But his camp has rejected the conduct and outcome of the exercise.
Mr Alli’s visit to Mr Tinubu was his first meeting with the president since emerging after he emerged as the APC governorship candidate in Oyo State.
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