A governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State, Abayomi Hunye, has warned that the political crisis surrounding the party’s 2027 governorship ticket could escalate beyond the experience of the recently concluded Osun State governorship election.
Hunye gave the warning yesterday during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, while defending his decision to challenge in court the outcome of the APC governorship primary.
His comment came amid the growing dispute over the emergence of Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, as the APC’s governorship candidate, with Hunye insisting that the matter remains before the court.
The APC, however, has disowned Hunye, describing him as an impostor and maintaining that Adeola remains its duly nominated candidate for the 2027 Ogun governorship election.
Hunye, who stressed that he remained an aspirant and had never claimed to be the party’s recognised candidate, said he would not withdraw his legal challenge, arguing that the dispute was fundamentally about the right of party members to participate in a free and fair process.
He warned that unresolved grievances within the party could trigger a more intense political confrontation in Ogun ahead of the 2027 election.
“They saw what happened in Osun. What happened in Osun is going to be a child’s play to what is going to happen in Ogun State in 2027,” Hunye said.
He added: “What happened in Osun was the same thing. You cannot deprive people of their rights and want them to now keep quiet. They will not keep quiet.”
Hunye also criticised the alleged imposition of Adeola, challenging the APC leadership to conduct a transparent primary if the senator was genuinely popular among party members.
“He imposed him on us. And you want to force us to obey it. If you agree that he is popular, let the primaries be free and fair. And if he wins the primary, everybody will agree,” he said.
He maintained that his opposition was not driven solely by personal ambition but by concerns over the process through which the party arrived at its candidate.
According to him, imposing a preferred aspirant on other contenders could deepen divisions within the APC and create further political tension ahead of the election.
Hunye further claimed that some members of Governor Dapo Abiodun’s cabinet were unhappy with the emergence of Adeola.
“Quite a number of people in Dapo Abiodun’s cabinet are with us. They are not happy. People are not happy,” he said.
APC disowns Hunye
The dispute escalated on Monday when the APC National Working Committee publicly disowned Hunye and described him as an impostor.
In a disclaimer signed by the party’s National Secretary, Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, the APC said Hunye remained suspended and lacked the authority to represent the party or present himself as its governorship candidate.
The party identified Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola as its duly nominated governorship candidate, with Balogun Kudirat Abiodun as his running mate.
It further stated that the names of Adeola and his running mate had been uploaded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal, with acknowledgment slips confirming the submission on August 7, 2026.
But Hunye rejected the party’s position, insisting that he had never presented himself as the officially recognised APC candidate.
“I want to correct that story. I never said I was. I remain an aspirant,” he said.
Suspension controversy
Hunye also challenged the APC’s claim that he had been suspended, saying he was never formally notified of the disciplinary action.
“If they say they have suspended me. I have not received any letter. No letter was sent to me,” he said.
He argued that the party was required to follow due process before suspending any member.
“And before you suspend anybody, there must be a sort of panel. You must let me know what I’ve done. Then there will be a committee that will be sent out to look at that,” he said.
Hunye said he subsequently obtained the APC nomination form and participated in the screening process despite the alleged suspension.
“Even I was suspended in April. I came to the National Party Secretariat. I got a form there on 28th of April,” he said.
According to him, the party collected N50 million from him for the nomination form, screened him and subsequently cleared him to participate in the governorship contest.
“You collected money and gave me form. On the 15th again, I went for screening,” he said.
Hunye said he was assigned number 62 during the screening, while Adeola was assigned number 53.
“You screened me. And at the end of the day, you cleared me that I’m successful. And then even in the midst of all the successful candidates, I was cleared,” he said.
Primary result challenged
Hunye’s legal challenge centres largely on the outcome of the APC governorship primary, where he said he was recorded as scoring zero votes.
He questioned how he could have been recorded as scoring zero when, according to him, he participated in the exercise and never withdrew from the contest.
“So there was no withdrawal in my own name. I participated in the election and they admitted that I participated,” he said.
He also questioned the circumstances surrounding the primary, alleging that there were incidents involving members of his campaign team.
“I was not in the police station. I was not in the hospital. How will I pay 50 million naira for something, and I will be absent there. And how would they now record zero against my name?” he asked.
Hunye said he had written to the party chairman and the relevant committee after the primary but claimed that his complaints were not addressed.
“I wrote immediately. I wrote to the party chairman. I wrote to the committee. They refuse to do anything,” he said.
He added that approaching the court was therefore his avenue for seeking redress.
“The law also gives us an opportunity to hear our view and that’s exactly what I’m doing,” Hunye said.
‘Suspension may affect court case’
Hunye further alleged that the suspension controversy was connected to his ongoing court case and could be an attempt to challenge his legal standing in the suit.
He said the case raised several questions concerning Adeola’s eligibility and information allegedly provided during previous election processes.
When asked whether the alleged discrepancies amounted to perjury, Hunye replied: “Yes, that is a perjury.”
He said similar legal challenges had been raised in the past but that previous litigants lost because they lacked locus standi, or legal standing to institute the action.
“But they lost the case because they were not locus. And that is what they are fighting. They want to remove me as a locus,” he said.
Hunye alleged that the suspension could therefore be an attempt to remove his legal standing in the case.
“And that is why they are bringing the issue of I have been suspended. So once that is proven that I have been suspended, then I will not be locus,” he said.
Asked whether he believed the move was intended to remove him from the case on a technical ground, Hunye replied: “Exactly, that is what they are looking for. They are looking for a technical ground to put me away. And that cannot be possible.”
He added: “From day one, I am prepared for that.”
APC gives different account
The APC, however, has maintained a different position on Hunye’s suspension.
According to documents issued by the party, the suspension followed a petition by the Executive Committee of his ward, Tube Ward in Ipokia Local Government Area, dated March 23, 2026.
The petition reportedly accused him of “nefarious dealings” and “anti-party activities.”
The Ipokia Local Government Executive Committee subsequently ratified the suspension on March 27, while the Ogun State Working Committee approved it on April 7 after a meeting at the party secretariat in Abeokuta.
The party said the Ogun State Working Committee later notified the APC National Screening Committee for governorship aspirants of the ratification on May 5.
The APC has also warned individuals against transacting political business with Hunye under the guise of representing the party, adding that its legal team had been directed to pursue contempt proceedings where necessary.
APC petitions police, DSS
The party has further escalated the dispute by petitioning the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) over Hunye’s activities.
In separate letters dated August 24, 2026, the APC Director of Administration, Ayoola Peter Olajolo, petitioned the two security agencies, alleging that Hunye’s conduct amounted to impersonation, conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace and violation of the Electoral Act, 2026.
The party asked the agencies to invite Hunye for questioning, investigate the allegations and prosecute him if found culpable.
It also asked the security agencies to restrain him from further presenting himself as an APC governorship candidate.
Hunye insists court will decide
Despite the APC’s position, Hunye maintained that the Ogun governorship ticket remains subject to judicial determination.
“Ogun State candidature of governorship election is still hanging at the court. The court is going to determine who becomes the candidate and the case is still on,” he said.
He said reports that he had stepped down or reached a settlement with the party prompted him to publicly restate his position.
“I was told that I have stepped down and that they have settled me and things like that, that is why I came up to tell everybody that the case is still in court and until that judgment is delivered, no candidate is decided,” he said.
Hunye also accused the APC of attempting to intimidate him into abandoning the case.
“Whatever the APC likes let them do. They are trying to intimidate me so that I can drop the case and I will not,” he said.
He, however, expressed confidence in the judiciary and said he would accept whatever judgment the court eventually delivers.
“I want to assure you that I believe in judiciary. They are going to do the best. Whatever judgement that will be delivered and will take a good faith,” he said.
Hunye added that he would seek reconciliation within the party irrespective of the outcome of the case.
He said if the court ruled against him, he would accept the judgment and support the APC candidate, while a ruling in his favour would also not prevent him from reaching out to members of the opposing camp.
