Dr. Gbemileke Alagbe has reaffirmed his claim to the African Democratic Congress governorship ticket in Oyo State ahead of the 2027 election, insisting that the primary election that produced him was backed by the necessary records and procedures.
Alagbe made the declaration while speaking with journalists in Ibadan, where he also appealed to members of the Party to set aside their differences and concentrate on building a strong political structure ahead of the 2027 governorship contest.
The renewed claim comes amid an unresolved dispute over the ADC governorship primary in Oyo State, with different aspirants laying claim to the Party’s ticket.
Alagbe emerged from a primary held at the University of Ibadan, where reports said he defeated four other aspirants after polling 15,107 votes out of 21,600 votes cast. However, a separate primary conducted at the ADC secretariat in Ibadan produced Chief Taofeek Adegboyega Adegoke as winner, with 16,051 votes.
The competing outcomes have generated uncertainty over who will ultimately represent the Party in the 2027 Oyo governorship election.
Alagbe, however, maintained that the process through which he emerged was valid and that anyone challenging his candidacy should pursue the matter through the appropriate party or legal channels rather than through media statements.
He argued that an election must be determined by verifiable evidence, records and the outcome of the recognised process.
“Election is about process and evidence,” he said, questioning the basis of any alternative claim to the ticket.
The controversy is not entirely new. In June 2026, Alagbe approached the Federal High Court in Ibadan over the disputed primary, asking the court to recognise him as the authentic winner of the ADC governorship primary held on May 22. He also sought an order compelling the Party to issue him a certificate of return and preventing it from submitting another candidate’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The development highlights the depth of the internal disagreement within the Oyo ADC as the Party prepares for what is expected to be a highly competitive 2027 governorship election.
Despite the dispute, Alagbe said the ADC could still emerge as a formidable political force in the State if its members were prepared to work together.
He acknowledged that divisions were not restricted to Oyo, noting that similar disagreements had emerged within the Party in other parts of the South-West.
According to him, internal disagreements should not be allowed to destroy the Party’s prospects at the polls.
He called for unity, harmony and reconciliation among the different tendencies within the ADC, arguing that the Party needed a common strategy rather than competing camps.
Alagbe further disclosed that the ADC was working towards creating a broad political coalition involving individuals and supporters from different political parties.
He mentioned political actors from the Peoples Democratic Party, All Progressives Congress, Social Democratic Party and Labour Party as part of the wider political interests that could contribute to the coalition.
Explaining the importance of such collaboration, he said the Party could not build a strong political movement around one individual or group.
“You cannot build a forest with one tree,” he said, stressing the need for the ADC to accommodate different interests while working towards a shared objective.
The governorship hopeful also pointed to the recent political developments in Osun State as a lesson the ADC should take seriously.
He said the Party needed to examine its performance and strengthen its grassroots machinery rather than relying excessively on prominent political figures.
Alagbe particularly referenced the reported loss of the polling unit associated with former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, as an indication that political influence at the leadership level does not automatically translate into votes at the grassroots.
For him, the experience should encourage the Party to invest more heavily in ward-level mobilisation, voter engagement and sustained political organisation.
The ADC has faced competing claims over its Oyo governorship ticket since the May primary exercises. Reports published shortly after the primaries confirmed the emergence of Adegoke from one of the exercises, while Alagbe’s camp maintained that he emerged from another recognised process.
Earlier in July, it was also reported that several aspirants, including Alagbe, Adegoke, Bisi Ilaka and others, had at different points claimed to be the Party’s standard-bearer, underscoring the extent of the disagreement within the Oyo chapter.
Beyond the question of the ADC ticket, Alagbe used the opportunity to outline some of the policies he said he would pursue if elected Governor of Oyo State.
He identified local government autonomy, infrastructure, healthcare, education, security and protection of property rights as key areas of his proposed administration.
On local government administration, he said councils should be allowed to perform their constitutional responsibilities and contribute meaningfully to development at the grassroots.
He also proposed a road construction programme under which at least one kilometre of road would be constructed monthly in each of Oyo State’s local government areas during the first three years of his administration.
Healthcare, according to him, would receive particular attention, with plans to improve primary healthcare centres, provide better facilities, strengthen staffing and ensure the availability of essential medicines.
He also promised to deploy technology as part of efforts to improve security and monitor ungoverned spaces across the State.
Alagbe’s position on infrastructure development was also reflected in his comments about the ongoing Circular Road project in Oyo State.
While supporting the project and acknowledging the importance of major infrastructure to the State’s development, he opposed the demolition of people’s homes without adequate consideration for those affected.
He said residents and property owners should be properly engaged before any demolition exercise and that alternatives should be provided where necessary.
His position was that infrastructure development should not come at the expense of residents who could be displaced by Government projects.
As the 2027 election approaches, Alagbe said the ADC must resolve its internal disagreements before entering the full campaign season.
He warned against waiting until after an electoral defeat before attempting reconciliation, stressing that unity should be established before the election.
“We do not need to wait until we lose an election before we start calling for unity,” he said.
He added that the Party was already working on its campaign organisation and grassroots network, insisting that victory would depend on sustained engagement with voters across Oyo State.
The ADC’s ability to settle the competing claims surrounding its governorship ticket is likely to remain an important issue in the Party’s preparations for 2027.
For Alagbe, however, the immediate priority is to establish unity, strengthen the Party’s structure and ensure that the dispute over the primary does not derail the broader ambition of presenting the ADC as a credible alternative in Oyo State.
His latest declaration therefore puts the question of the ADC’s authentic governorship candidate back at the centre of the State’s 2027 political conversation, even as the competing camps continue to defend the legitimacy of their respective primary outcomes.
The wider political significance of the dispute is considerable because the ADC is positioning itself as part of the emerging opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 elections. Whether the Party can reconcile its competing factions and present a single, legally and politically recognised candidate will be crucial to its chances of mounting a serious challenge in Oyo State.
For now, Alagbe remains firm in his position that he is the candidate produced by the primary process he recognises, while the existence of a competing primary and candidate means the dispute remains a matter of political and legal contestation rather than a settled fact.