Fresh political tremors swept across Oyo State on Thursday as Senator Sharafadeen Alli consolidated his growing dominance in the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial primary, recording significant victories in key voting blocs, including the political stronghold of a major ally of Chief Adebayo Adelabu.
In one of the most talked-about outcomes of the exercise, former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Kola Olabiyi, reportedly lost his Okaka political base in Itesiwaju Local Government Area to Senator Alli, despite openly mobilising support for Adelabu ahead of the keenly contested primary.
Party sources disclosed that Alli secured victory in Wards 1 and 2 of the Okaka axis, Oke Ogun area of the State; an area long regarded as Olabiyi’s political enclave, in what observers described as a major symbolic setback for the Adelabu camp.
The development further reinforced growing claims within APC circles that Alli’s influence and grassroots appeal had spread rapidly across the five geopolitical zones of the state ahead of the 2027 governorship race.
Reports from several local government areas indicated that the senator maintained a strong lead across multiple wards as voting and collation progressed through Thursday.
Political analysts noted that the outcome in Okaka carried deeper implications beyond ordinary ward results, especially given Olabiyi’s visible role as one of the frontline canvassers for Adelabu during the build-up to the primary.
The atmosphere around the exercise, however, reportedly turned tense shortly after the ward results emerged.
Sources within the area claimed that Olabiyi left the venue in visible frustration following the outcome. In the process, his vehicle was said to have rammed into a commercial motorcycle conveying a little girl.
The injured child reportedly sustained some injuries and was immediately rushed for medical attention. No fatality was recorded in the incident.
Efforts to obtain official comments from Olabiyi’s camp on the development were unsuccessful as of press time. Majority of the people at the scene of the incident and in the town have called for urgent police investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding this incident and identify the causes with a view to sanctioning anyone who is culpable no matter how highly placed.
Meanwhile, supporters of Senator Alli across Ibadanland, Oke-Ogun, Ogbomoso, Oyo and Ibarapa zones continued to celebrate what many described as an indication of the senator’s expanding acceptability among APC grassroots members.
Party insiders insist that the ongoing primary has further revealed the shifting political dynamics within the Oyo APC, with many stakeholders now viewing Alli as the aspirant with the widest grassroots connection and strongest statewide appeal ahead of the 2027 governorship contest.
Observers also believe the unfolding developments may significantly reshape alliances within the opposition party as consultations intensify in the aftermath of the primary election.
