OYO 2027: Senator Sarafa Alli Sweeps APC Governorship Primary With Massive Landslide Victory
Senator Sarafa Alli has emerged as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Oyo State after securing a crushing landslide victory in the party’s primary election, defeating high-profile contenders by an extraordinary margin.
Results announced at the conclusion of the exercise showed Senator Alli polling 578,143 votes, far ahead of Senator Buhari, who secured 37,265 votes, while former Minister of Power, Oloye Bayo Adelabu, received 19,193 votes.
The outcome immediately reshaped the political landscape in Oyo State ahead of the 2027 governorship election, with analysts describing the margin as one of the strongest internal mandates recorded in recent APC primary contests in the South-West.
The primary attracted significant national attention because of the calibre of aspirants involved and the strategic importance of Oyo State in Nigeria’s political arithmetic. With over three million registered voters and Ibadan remaining one of the country’s largest urban political centres, Oyo is widely regarded as a key battleground state capable of influencing wider regional political momentum.
Political observers say Senator Alli’s overwhelming victory reflects a combination of grassroots mobilisation, strategic alliances across party structures, and growing acceptance among party loyalists seeking a candidate perceived as capable of strengthening APC competitiveness in the state.
The result is particularly significant because it came against established political figures, including Adelabu, a former Minister of Power and former governorship candidate with substantial visibility within Oyo politics.
Analysts note that the huge voting gap may also expose deeper realignments within the APC structure in Oyo State, where party stakeholders increasingly appear focused on consolidating internal unity ahead of the main governorship contest.
Supporters of Senator Alli described the outcome as a triumph of grassroots democracy and political organisation, while party leaders called on all aspirants and their supporters to close ranks in preparation for the general elections.
The APC is expected to face a fierce electoral battle in 2027 as political calculations intensify across Oyo State, where governance performance, economic concerns, infrastructure development, youth mobilisation and party cohesion are expected to dominate campaign narratives.
For many observers, the scale of Senator Alli’s victory has now positioned him not merely as the APC flagbearer, but as one of the early major political forces to watch in the evolving 2027 electoral contest.
Political observers noted that the outcome may also reflect growing dissatisfaction within sections of the APC over the performance and political appeal of former Minister of Power, Oloye Bayo Adelabu, whose tenure at the power ministry faced persistent criticism over worsening electricity instability, slow sector reforms, and the absence of visible nationwide improvements in power supply despite repeated government assurances. Critics within the political space argued that many voters viewed his stewardship as lacking the transformative impact expected in a sector considered central to Nigeria’s economic survival, with opponents frequently mocking the administration’s electricity challenges by referring to him as the “Minister of Darkness” during periods of prolonged outages and grid instability.
Dr. Imran Khazaly
Headlinenews.news Special Investigative Report
