Bye Election IbNorth: Fresh Tension Rocks Oyo APC as Power Minister, Delegate Committee Move to Impose Ex-Accord Member in Ibadan North*

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State is once again engulfed in controversy as fresh revelations emerge alleging a plot by the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, in collusion with the APC Delegate Congress Committee, to subvert internal democracy ahead of the party’s primary election in Ibadan North Federal Constituency.

The primary election, scheduled for Sunday, July 20, 2025, is now at the center of mounting tensions, following reports that Chief Adelabu has orchestrated a plan to impose his political ally, Mr. Wale Murphy, a former Accord Party member, as the APC flag bearer. Mr. Murphy’s return to the APC and rapid political reemergence has drawn criticism from core party loyalists and aspirants, who allege favoritism and backdoor scheming.

Despite a consensus earlier reached by the Oyo State APC and all House of Representatives aspirants to adopt a direct primary system to ensure transparency and party cohesion, the APC National Secretariat overruled the decision, mandating an indirect primary instead. This top-down imposition has left many in the state chapter feeling sidelined and disrespected.

According to insider accounts, both the Delegate Congress Committee, led by Dr. Umar Duhu Galadima, and the Delegate Congress Appeal Committee were allegedly camped at Josephine Hotel, Ikolaba, Ibadan, reportedly on the directive of Chief Adelabu. Party members claim the hotel meetings were used to finalize plans for deploying a pre-arranged delegate list designed to guarantee victory for Mr. Murphy.

The situation reached a boiling point on Saturday when the Congress Committee held a closed-door meeting with the Oyo State APC Executive and aspirants at the party’s Oke-Ado Secretariat.

To the shock of all present, the committee announced the cancellation of the scheduled delegate congress, which was to take place that same day.

Instead, they informed the stakeholders that a pre-approved delegate list—whose origin remains unclear—would be used for Sunday’s primary election, directly contradicting the official timetable released by the APC National Secretariat.

“This is a flagrant abuse of internal party processes,” said a senior party chieftain, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals.

“There are credible reports that significant sums of money exchanged hands between Chief Adelabu and members of the Delegate Committee. This is a calculated move to impose Wale Murphy on us against the will of the party base in Ibadan North.”

The latest development has sparked widespread outrage among APC members and House of Representatives aspirants, who describe the process as “rigged from the start.

” Many now fear that the manipulated primary could deepen divisions within the party, disenfranchise loyal party members, and potentially cost APC the Ibadan North seat in the upcoming by-election.

In response, party leaders and stakeholders are calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC National Secretariat to intervene decisively.

“We are appealing to the President and our party’s leadership to act swiftly and halt this dangerous slide,” the party chieftain added.

“What we need is a level playing field where delegates are chosen in accordance with laid-down guidelines, not a pre-arranged coronation engineered from a hotel room.”

As of press time, neither Chief Adelabu nor the Delegate Congress Committee had issued an official response to the growing allegations.

However, with Sunday’s primary rapidly approaching, the party’s ability to navigate this internal storm could prove pivotal—not only for Ibadan North but for APC’s unity in Oyo State at large.