Ogun 2027: Legal, political battle erupts over APC governorship ticket

The battle for the 2027 governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State has escalated into a bitter political and legal dispute, with former governorship aspirant Abayomi Semako Hunye refusing to accept Senator Olamilekan Solomon Adeola as the party’s undisputed candidate.

The latest twist came on Saturday, August 22, when Hunye, a former Managing Director of the Ogun State Waste Management Authority (OGWAMA), unveiled Abayomi Odunowo as his running mate and declared that he remained in the governorship contest.

The development directly challenges the position of the APC leadership, which insists that Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, is the party’s recognised candidate.

How the Dispute Started

The controversy dates back to April, when Governor Dapo Abiodun, at a strategic APC caucus meeting attended by former governors Olusegun Osoba, Ibikunle Amosun and Gbenga Daniel, announced Adeola as the party’s consensus candidate.

Other aspirants, including Iyabo Obasanjo, Gboyega Isiaka, Tunde Lemo and Isiak Akinlade, were reportedly present.

However, Hunye subsequently obtained the party’s N50 million governorship nomination form and participated in the primary election.

The official result announced by the Ogun State Governorship Electoral Committee chairman, Wale Ohu, gave Adeola 304,055 votes out of 305,287 accredited voters, while Hunye was recorded with zero votes.

That figure has become one of the central points of Hunye’s legal challenge.

His campaign organisation rejected the result, claiming its agents recorded 453,765 votes for Hunye across the state and alleging that the official declaration did not reflect the actual voting process.

Court Battle Intensifies

Hunye subsequently challenged the primary and the emergence of Adeola in court, citing alleged irregularities and disenfranchisement.

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His decision to unveil a running mate appears designed to demonstrate continued participation in the political process while his legal challenge remains pending.

Hunye argues that recent amendments to Nigeria’s electoral framework require an aspirant challenging a primary to remain engaged in subsequent stages of the electoral process.

He has therefore insisted that his participation in the campaign phase cannot be interpreted as recognition of Adeola’s candidacy.

But the APC has taken a completely different position.

APC: Hunye Is Not Our Candidate

Ogun APC chairman Yemi Sanusi issued a disclaimer, stating that Adeola remains the party’s duly recognised candidate and that his name, alongside that of his running mate, Kudirat Adegunwa-Balogun, had been submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The party urged the public to disregard Hunye’s claims.

The dispute escalated further when APC National Secretary Ajibola Basiru described Hunye as an “impostor” and alleged that he had been suspended from the party since April 7, 2026.

Basiru said the suspension followed allegations of anti-party activities and conduct capable of damaging the party’s image.

Hunye has rejected the claim, saying he was never formally notified of the suspension and questioning how the party could have sold him a nomination form, screened and cleared him after allegedly suspending him.

“If they say they have suspended me, I have not received any letter,” he said, arguing that disciplinary proceedings should have preceded any suspension.

APC Moves Against Hunye

The confrontation has now moved beyond party statements.

The APC national leadership petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, seeking Hunye’s investigation, arrest and prosecution over alleged impersonation and conduct capable of causing a breach of peace.

The party maintains that Adeola is its only legitimate governorship candidate and accused Hunye of deliberately misleading the public.

Hunye, however, insists that the matter remains before the courts and that neither the APC leadership nor its candidates can pre-empt the judiciary.

The emerging crisis therefore goes beyond a conventional primary-election disagreement. It now involves competing claims over party membership, the validity of the primary, the effect of electoral-law provisions, alleged disciplinary action, and who ultimately has the authority to determine the APC’s candidate.

With the 2027 election approaching, the outcome of the court proceedings could determine whether Ogun APC enters the election with a united ticket—or remains consumed by an internal battle over who has the legitimate right to fly the party’s flag