Political Editorial:
The All Progressives Congress (APC) is facing renewed questions over its internal democracy following reports that former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has urged Nigerians to reject the party after failing to secure its governorship ticket in Oyo State.
The reported remarks have placed fresh pressure on a party that must contend with internal rivalries, competing ambitions and the difficult task of convincing Nigerians that its political processes are credible and transparent.
Adelabu was not an outsider attacking the APC from a distance. He was a prominent member of the party, served in President Bola Tinubu’s administration and resigned as Minister of Power in April 2026 to pursue his ambition of becoming governor of Oyo State.
Yet, after the APC’s nomination process produced Senator Sharafadeen Alli as its governorship candidate, Adelabu challenged aspects of the exercise and questioned the transparency of the outcome.
Now, following reports that he has called on Nigerians to reject the party, the controversy has developed into a broader debate about political loyalty, internal democracy and the treatment of defeated aspirants.
## When Party Primaries Become a Test of Democracy
A political party cannot credibly champion democracy in public while treating questions about its internal procedures as an inconvenience.
Party primaries determine who receives the opportunity to represent millions of citizens. Their credibility therefore matters not only to aspirants but also to party members, supporters and the electorate.
Adelabu previously questioned the absence of publicly declared, verifiable results from the Oyo APC governorship primary. Those concerns deserve examination against the applicable rules and available evidence.
If the process was conducted properly, the APC leadership should be able to demonstrate that through transparent records and clear explanations. If credible evidence establishes irregularities, the party should address them rather than rely solely on appeals for unity.
However, a defeated aspirant’s allegations do not automatically establish that an election was manipulated. Accountability demands that both the complaints and the party’s response be subjected to scrutiny.
That is the standard a democracy should uphold.
## Tinubu’s Party Faces an Uncomfortable Question
Adelabu’s reported intervention is politically significant because of his previous position within the Tinubu administration. His resignation to pursue the Oyo governorship demonstrated the importance he attached to the ambition and to the APC platform through which he intended to realise it.
His reported appeal for Nigerians to reject the party now raises an uncomfortable question for its leadership: how effectively can a party manage the ambitions of its members without creating lasting resentment among those who lose its internal contests?
The APC must confront that question honestly.
A party cannot assume that the announcement of a successful candidate automatically settles every grievance. Nor can it expect the loyalty of every member to remain unquestioned when the credibility of its internal procedures becomes a subject of dispute.
Political unity built on silence is fragile. Sustainable unity requires trust, procedural fairness and confidence that party rules apply consistently, regardless of the personalities involved.
## From Internal Dispute to Public Confidence Crisis
The controversy also exposes the danger of allowing disagreements over nominations to become prolonged political confrontations.
When influential aspirants publicly question their parties’ procedures, the consequences can extend beyond the individuals involved. Supporters may become disillusioned, grassroots structures may experience divisions, and voters may begin asking whether political organisations practise the democratic principles they proclaim.
For the APC, the immediate challenge is to preserve cohesion in Oyo State while responding credibly to questions about the nomination process.
For Adelabu, the responsibility is equally clear: he should explain the precise basis of his objections and clarify whether his reported call for the party’s rejection represents a definitive political break or a demand for reform.
Neither political office nor electoral disappointment should place anyone beyond scrutiny.
## Nigerians Must Look Beyond Political Drama
The people of Oyo State and Nigerians generally should not be reduced to spectators in a dispute between political elites.
Voters deserve parties that conduct transparent primaries, provide credible mechanisms for resolving complaints and allow members to participate meaningfully in candidate selection.
They also deserve political leaders who distinguish personal disappointment from issues of public interest and substantiate serious allegations with evidence.
The 2027 elections should not become a contest in which party loyalty is valued above accountability or political grievances are treated as proof of wrongdoing without examination.
Instead, the Adelabu controversy should prompt a wider demand for stronger internal democracy across Nigeria’s political parties.
## The Verdict of History Will Depend on the Evidence
The reported call by Adelabu for Nigerians to reject the APC has added a new dimension to the party’s Oyo State crisis. But the ultimate significance of the episode will depend on what follows: whether the party addresses the dispute transparently, whether Adelabu clarifies his political position, and whether the concerns surrounding the primary can be resolved through credible evidence.
The APC leadership should not underestimate the reputational consequences of unresolved internal disputes. Adelabu, in turn, should not expect his allegations to substitute for proof.
**The fundamental lesson is unmistakable: a political party that demands loyalty must also earn trust, and an aspirant who demands accountability must be prepared to substantiate his claims.**
As Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, the public interest must remain greater than the ambitions of individual politicians. The real measure of democratic credibility is not simply who wins a party ticket, but whether the process that produces the winner can withstand independent scrutiny.
Editorial note by Akor Christian Oche otherwise known as Due Process
