Four governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State have agreed to work with the party’s governorship candidate, Sharafadeen Alli, for victory in the 2027 general elections.

The resolution of the governorship aspirants followed meetings reportedly convened by the APC Governorship Primaries Reconciliation Committee, constituted by the party in July, to resolve grievances and unite the party.

The four aspirants who reconciled with Mr Alli’s choice as the party’s flagbearer in the state are the state’s former deputy governor Rauf Aderemi Olaniyan, Oyedele Hakeem Alao, Ololade Usman Bakare and Musibau Asatola Asanike.

The development was announced on Sunday during a press briefing convened by the chairman of the reconciliation committee, Olufemi Lanlehin.

“We listened to their concerns and disappointments and, importantly, found that we have far more that unites us than what divides us,” Mr Lanlehin said.

“Eleven distinguished members of our party offered themselves for the APC governorship primary. At the conclusion of the contest, Senator Sharafadeen Alli emerged as the governorship candidate of our great party.”

“While some aspirants understandably had reservations about the process and its outcome, we do recognise that a political contest ultimately gives way to the larger responsibility of building our party and winning the confidence of the people,” he said.

He stated that the development showed that the APC prioritised “collective interest over individual ambition, reconciliation over division and unity over factionalism.”

He explained that the party could only win the 2027 governorship poll through unity, rather than the limited support which each candidate had during the primaries.

Mr Lanlehin stated, “No candidate can win a general election by relying only on those who supported him in the primary. A governorship election is won by a united political family. We all deserve the progress of Oyo State and the success of the APC.

“Today, we are happy to announce that four distinguished governorship aspirants have agreed to put the context behind them and work for Senator Sharafadeen Alli in the interest of the party and our victory in the 2027 general elections,” he said.

A former minister of power, Bayo Adelabu, and another governorship aspirant, Akeem Agbaje, were absent from the reconciliation meeting.