IBADAN – The simmering tensions within the Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have boiled over, as the party’s attempts to navigate the 2027 governorship race descend into open rebellion.

​Following earlier protests regarding missing primary results and financial exploitation, the party secretariat became the stage for a new, defiant demonstration today. Hundreds of supporters gathered, openly mocking the party’s perceived consensus candidate, Sharafadeen Alli, while chanting: “Sharafa, go and take a crown; Adelabu will be the one to govern us.”

​The chant serves as a direct challenge to the party’s power brokers, signaling a growing grassroots push for former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, to lead the charge against the incumbent administration. Supporters argue that the current leadership is attempting to "impose" candidates through a shadowy consensus arrangement that ignores the will of the party's base.  

​"We are tired of being treated like an ATM for a few elites who think they can handpick our leaders from behind closed doors," said one protester. "We want an open field. Adelabu has been in the trenches with us; he has the name recognition and the support. Any attempt to force a consensus that sidelines him is an invitation for another defeat in 2027."

​The scene at the secretariat reflects a party in deep crisis. The combination of missing primary data and the forceful rejection of "imposed" leadership suggests that the Oyo APC is struggling to contain its own internal factions. For a party that has spent eight years out of power in Oyo State, this level of fragmentation is being viewed by political analysts as a self-inflicted wound.

​As the protesters’ voices echoed across the city, the party hierarchy remained silent, further fueling the fire. With the 2027 election looming, the message from the streets is clear: the grassroots are no longer willing to play by the rules of an establishment they believe has failed them.