The controversy surrounding the recently conducted governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State continues to generate heated reactions across political circles, especially after unofficial figures circulating online appeared to raise serious questions about the credibility and consistency of the exercise.
As of the time of filing this report, the party has not officially released comprehensive results for all primaries conducted across the federation. Yet, figures allegedly linked to the Oyo APC governorship primary have already flooded social media, with many observers questioning how the numbers were arrived at.
The biggest point of controversy remains the claim that Senator Sharafadeen Alli reportedly secured about 578,143 votes during the APC governorship primary in Oyo State. The figure has triggered widespread skepticism among party members, political analysts, and residents alike.
Critics argue that the numbers appear difficult to reconcile with available records and recent electoral data in the state.
During the 2023 governorship election, Governor Seyi Makinde of the People's Democratic Party won re-election with 563,756 votes according to official results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The comparison has now become central to public debate, with many asking how an opposition party primary could allegedly record more votes than the total secured by a sitting governor during a statewide general election involving multiple political parties.
The development has fueled sarcastic reactions online, with many Nigerians questioning the actual membership strength of the APC in Oyo State.
Several reports published earlier this year indicated that the Oyo APC itself projected a membership target of about 350,000 during its electronic membership registration exercise.
According to statements credited to the party’s Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, the APC expressed optimism that the electronic registration drive would help the party attain over 350,000 registered members across the state ahead of the 2027 elections.
The same reports also noted that the APC delivered 449,884 votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election in Oyo State.
This has now led many political observers to ask a fundamental question: if the party was still targeting roughly 350,000 registered members through its ongoing membership drive, how did an internal governorship primary allegedly produce well over 500,000 votes?
Across social media platforms, users described the figures as “confusing,” “mathematically impossible,” and “politically suspicious,” while others argued that unofficial results should not be treated as final until the APC leadership releases certified figures.
Some party loyalists have also cautioned against jumping to conclusions, insisting that many of the numbers currently in circulation remain unverified and may have been deliberately amplified by rival factions ahead of the official declaration.
However, the controversy reflects a broader issue that has repeatedly affected internal party elections in Nigeria — transparency, delegate credibility, and voter verification during primaries.
Political analysts note that party primaries are traditionally conducted using accredited delegates or verified party members, making unusually large vote figures vulnerable to public scrutiny, especially in an era where citizens increasingly compare political statistics with publicly available electoral data.
For now, the absence of an official nationwide release from the APC leadership has only deepened speculation and uncertainty surrounding the Oyo exercise.
Until certified results are formally announced by the party, debates over the authenticity and accuracy of the circulating figures are likely to continue dominating political conversations both online and offline.
One thing, however, is clear: in the eyes of many Nigerians, the mathematics behind the Oyo APC primary figures simply does not appear to add up.
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