Senator Sharafadeen Alli has emerged as the leading aspirant in the ongoing All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship direct primaries conducted across the 351 wards in Oyo State.
Reports monitored from several local government areas indicated that Alli was maintaining a strong lead over other contenders as party members continued voting and collation processes progressed in many wards on Thursday.
Party stakeholders and observers attributed the development to Alli’s extensive grassroots network, widespread acceptability within the party structure and sustained mobilisation efforts across the state ahead of the primaries.
Alli, the senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District had earlier been widely reported as the party’s consensus governorship candidate in Oyo State before the decision to proceed with direct primaries for all aspirants seeking the APC ticket.
The consensus arrangement had also reportedly favoured Mr Obafemi Hamzat in Lagos State and Senator Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, in Ogun State ahead of their respective governorship contests within the party.
Sources within the APC in Oyo State disclosed that early results and field reports from many wards placed Alli ahead, with party faithful expressing confidence in his ability to strengthen the party’s chances in the 2027 governorship election.
Some party members, who spoke with journalists in Ibadan, described the exercise as peaceful and transparent, noting that Alli’s popularity among party loyalists had reflected in the voting pattern witnessed in several parts of the state.
As collation of results continued on Thursday evening, political observers believed that the early momentum and strong showing recorded by Alli across the wards might ultimately position him to emerge as the APC governorship candidate in Oyo State.
