IBADAN, OYO STATE Thursday, 22 October 2026
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Oyo State, Chief Niyi Aborisade, has urged rival factions within the party to resolve their differences and unite ahead of the 2027 elections, warning that prolonged internal disputes could weaken the party’s prospects against Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Aborisade made the appeal during a media interview reported by The Guardian on Thursday, October 22. He said reconciliation efforts were continuing despite the legal dispute over the party’s governorship ticket and expressed hope that the disagreements could be resolved before the end of October. <Cite refs={["turn949096search0"]}/>
His comments highlight a challenge facing the opposition party as preparations for the next general elections intensify: how to manage competing claims over candidate selection while maintaining a coherent organisation capable of campaigning effectively.
Dispute over the governorship ticket
The ADC’s internal disagreement in Oyo State centres on rival claims over the party’s governorship primary conducted in May 2026.
Aborisade said the faction he belongs to regards the primary held on May 22 as the valid exercise. He claimed it was monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Department of State Services and the police.
He alleged that a rival faction conducted another primary on May 23, after the earlier exercise had produced a winner. He questioned the legitimacy of the later exercise, claiming it was not monitored by INEC.
These are Aborisade’s assertions and should not be treated as a final determination of the dispute. The disagreement over the party’s ticket remains subject to legal proceedings, and the court process is central to establishing which claims can stand under the applicable electoral and party rules. <Cite refs={["turn949096search0","turn949096search10"]}/>
The controversy has also affected the party’s candidate-list position. Earlier reporting by The Guardian noted that the name of Adegboyega Adegoke appeared on INEC’s list as the ADC governorship candidate, while Aborisade and his political associates disputed the process and maintained that their preferred candidate had emerged from the May 22 primary. <Cite refs={["turn949096search11"]}/>
INEC deadline adds urgency
The dispute is unfolding as parties navigate electoral deadlines ahead of the 2027 elections.
INEC had set October 24, 2026, as the deadline for political parties that believed their candidates had been wrongly omitted from the final list for the 2027 governorship elections to notify the commission. The deadline followed a Supreme Court ruling on party membership-register requirements and candidate eligibility. <Cite refs={["turn625629search3","turn949096search0"]}/>
Aborisade argued that the deadline would not prevent a court from resolving the dispute, maintaining that INEC would be bound by a valid court order.
The practical implications depend on the proceedings and any applicable orders. A political party’s internal position, a candidate list published by INEC and a court’s eventual determination are distinct matters; developments in one do not automatically establish the outcome of the others.
For the ADC, the combination of legal uncertainty and a looming electoral timetable increases pressure on its leaders to clarify their position, comply with the law and prevent internal divisions from undermining campaign preparations.
Aborisade calls for reconciliation
Aborisade said he was personally involved in efforts to bring the rival factions together. He expressed optimism that a settlement could be reached before the end of October, although no completed reconciliation agreement was announced in the report.
His appeal reflects the wider challenge facing political parties when competing groups claim legitimacy over nominations or leadership decisions. Even where a court case is ongoing, party members must decide how to manage organisational work, communicate with supporters and prepare for upcoming electoral activities.
Reconciliation does not necessarily require abandoning legal rights or settling a dispute without due process. It can involve dialogue over party procedures, an agreed commitment to respect the eventual legal outcome and practical arrangements that reduce hostility between members.
However, any settlement would need to address the underlying disagreements sufficiently to avoid a renewed crisis during the campaign.
Criticism of the Oyo State government
Beyond the internal party dispute, Aborisade criticised the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde, raising concerns about transparency and the autonomy of local governments.
He said an ADC administration would prioritise accountability and give local councils greater autonomy to enable them to deliver development projects in their communities.
Aborisade also raised concerns about land acquisition and demolitions connected with the proposed circular road in Oyo State, alleging that the government’s approach had caused hardship for affected residents. These claims reflect his political position and were not independently established by the cited report. <Cite refs={["turn949096search0"]}/>
His comments place governance and local administration among the issues he wants the party to emphasise as it seeks support ahead of the election.
For voters, assessing such claims requires examining the evidence, the government’s response, the legal context of particular projects and the practical effects on affected communities.
Policy proposals and electoral competition
Aborisade said the ADC had developed proposals intended to improve residents’ welfare, including measures relating to education and the movement of agricultural produce from Oke-Ogun to markets.
He argued that voters should assess parties by the quality of their candidates and the substance of their policy proposals rather than allowing internal disagreements to dominate political debate.
Such proposals would need to be developed into specific commitments if the party is to present a clear alternative to the state’s current administration. Voters would need information on how proposed programmes would be financed, which institutions would implement them, what targets would be used to assess progress and how local communities would benefit.
A credible electoral platform typically requires more than general promises of transparency or development. It should set out priorities, implementation responsibilities, funding assumptions and mechanisms for public accountability.
Aborisade also called for stronger conflict-management arrangements within political parties. He argued that dialogue and restraint could prevent disagreements from escalating and damaging political organisations.
The wider opposition challenge
Aborisade presented the ADC as a potential alternative to the APC at both state and national levels, arguing that economic difficulties made political competition and accountability particularly important ahead of 2027.
His call for unity comes as opposition parties explore ways to cooperate or coordinate their efforts. However, cooperation between parties and reconciliation within a single party are separate challenges: both require agreement on objectives, leadership, candidate selection and the rules governing participation.
Within Oyo State, the ADC’s immediate concern is to resolve its internal dispute while preserving its capacity to organise and communicate with voters. Its broader electoral prospects will depend on the outcome of the legal process, the strength of its organisation, the credibility of its candidates and the appeal of its policy proposals.
The APC and other political parties will also compete for support. The outcome cannot be predicted from one party leader’s statement, and Aborisade’s criticism of political opponents represents a political argument rather than evidence of how voters will ultimately decide.
What happens next?
The next significant developments are likely to involve the court proceedings over the governorship ticket, any formal reconciliation between the factions and the handling of candidate-list issues within the applicable electoral timetable.
Aborisade has expressed hope for a settlement before the end of October, but the report does not confirm that an agreement has been reached. The legal process remains an important factor in determining the status of the competing claims.
The ADC’s leadership will also need to demonstrate whether its reconciliation efforts can produce a workable agreement and restore focus to organising for the election.
For the electorate, the key questions are whether the party can establish a clear and lawful candidate-selection process, present detailed policy proposals and provide evidence supporting its criticism of the current administration.
The central issue is therefore not simply whether the ADC can defeat its opponents in 2027. It is whether the party can manage its internal disagreements, respect due process and present a coherent platform that voters can assess on its merits.
Aborisade’s appeal for unity underscores the importance of resolving party disputes before the campaign reaches its most demanding stages. Whether that appeal results in reconciliation—and how the courts determine the governorship-ticket dispute—will be crucial to the ADC’s next steps in Oyo State.
Source: Amarachi Okonkwo, The Guardian Nigeria, “ADC must unite to defeat Makinde, APC in Oyo, says Aborisade,” published October 22, 2026.
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