Oyo APC Primary: "We had Contests of Ideas Among Brothers; Not Battles Among Enemies" — AKK
By Temidayo Badmus
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Dr. Adewale Kolapo Kareem (AKK), has called on party members to embrace unity and reconciliation following the conclusion of the party’s gubernatorial primary election.
AKK, who recently stepped down from the governorship race in support of Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli, described the APC primary as “a contest of ideas among brothers” rather than a political war.
In a statement issued after the exercise, the politician urged aggrieved aspirants and their supporters to close ranks and work together ahead of the 2027 governorship election in the state.
“A primary election is fundamentally a family affair — a contest of ideas among brothers, not a battle of enemies,” AKK stated.
He warned that division within the progressive fold could weaken the party’s chances in the general election, stressing that the APC must remain united to reclaim power in the state.
“We must constantly remind ourselves that the progressive fold must never be fractured; a divided house cannot possibly execute the monumental task of unseating an incumbent administration,” he said.
AKK noted that the “real opposition is outside our gates,” adding that the only path to victory for the APC was the building of “an impenetrable statewide coalition.”
The former aspirant also defended his decision to withdraw from the race and endorse Senator Alli before the primary, saying the outcome had justified the move.
“The difficult yet pragmatic decision we took just hours before the primary to step down and endorse the Distinguished Senator was the absolute right decision for the collective survival and victory of our party,” he added.
AKK further assured that his political structure across the 33 local government areas of Oyo State would remain fully mobilised for the APC ahead of the next election cycle.
He expressed confidence in Senator Alli’s leadership qualities, describing the APC candidate as a man with the “temperament, intellect, and administrative pedigree” needed to govern Oyo State successfully.
