A governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State, Sharafadeen Alli, will formally kick off his campaign on Friday, April 17.
The senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District will flag off his campaign at the Yemetu Police Barracks Playing Field in Ibadan.
Alli, at the weekend, met with the Ward 03 executive committee of the APC in Ibadan North Local Government Area, where he formally informed party leaders of his intention to contest the 2027 governorship election.
Speaking at the meeting, he described his ambition as a bid to offer purposeful leadership and a renewed development agenda for the state.
He also emphasised his commitment to the APC, noting that the party remained a strong platform for progressive governance and sustainable development in Oyo State.
The aspirant called for unity among party members as consultations intensify ahead of the 2027 polls.
Sources said Alli has also commenced stakeholder consultations across the state, with visits to Oyo and Ogbomoso zones on Sunday, where he met traditional rulers, including the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, as well as APC leaders.
Earlier last week, he met with President Bola Tinubu in Lagos, among other party chieftains.
Also, the 2023 governorship candidate of the party, Senator Teslim Folarin, met the President, also in Lagos, after the President had earlier met the wife of the late Oyo State Governor and Nigerian Ambassador-designate to Austria, Mrs Florence Ajimobi.
The meeting followed an earlier meeting held at the Lagos residence of Mrs Ajimobi, where all governorship aspirants met and agreed to work together with whoever emerged as the candidate of the party.
It was gathered that the consultations also involved efforts to harmonise interests among various aspirants and stakeholders within the party structure, with emphasis on unity and electoral competitiveness in 2027.
The PUNCH had reported that the party may settle for Alli’s candidacy for Oyo governorship.
The APC in Oyo State, however, said it was yet to officially announce a consensus candidate for any position in the state ahead of the election.