Adelabu steps back from APC primary challenge in Oyo 2027 race

Bayo Adelabu, the former Minister of Power and a governorship candidate for the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State, has announced he will not contest the party's primary results in court. In a statement issued Thursday in Ibadan, Adelabu stated that his decision prioritizes internal party cohesion and stability as the APC prepares for the 2027 election cycle.

Adelabu clarified that his choice to forgo legal action does not reflect insufficient grounds or a lack of confidence in his position. He emphasised that the decision was reached following conversations with senior party figures, loyalists, and supporters across Oyo State.

His statement framed the move as a strategic choice to preserve the party's unity rather than an acknowledgment of weakness in his case. The announcement comes after Adelabu lost the APC's governorship ticket in the primary process.

Multiple sources indicate he viewed his decision as subordinating personal political ambitions to the broader interests of party stability ahead of the 2027 general elections. Adelabu's position represents a break from typical responses by losing primary candidates in Nigerian politics, where court challenges over primary conduct have become increasingly common.

By choosing not to pursue legal remedies, he has signalled alignment with party leadership's preferences and avoided a potentially divisive internal dispute within the APC in Oyo State.