Two senior members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Ayo Afolabi and Wale Oshun, have urged Nigerians, especially APC supporters, to reject the ongoing rumours suggesting that former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, is part of a coalition aiming to oust President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
In separate phone interviews with The Guardian on Tuesday, both political figures condemned the claims, describing them as dangerous political propaganda intended to destabilize the polity.
They labeled the rumour as unfounded, malicious, and part of a broader conspiracy by opposition politicians to challenge President Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Afolabi and Oshun jointly emphasized that the speculations about Fayemi’s involvement in the alleged opposition coalition were baseless and were being circulated to cause unnecessary division within the ruling party.
“This is absolutely unfounded and very malicious. It is a political ploy designed to create confusion and dislocation in the polity,” Oshun stated.
The APC’s Ekiti State spokesperson, Segun Dipe, also weighed in, dismissing rumours that the party or the presidency had plans to deny Governor Biodun Oyebanji a return ticket for the 2027 elections due to his supposed closeness to Fayemi.
Dipe’s response came amid growing rumours that the presidency might be unhappy with Fayemi’s alleged connections to the opposition coalition and, by extension, might take action against Oyebanji.
The speculation surfaced after reports that the presidency was dissatisfied with Fayemi’s alleged involvement in a group of politicians seeking to challenge President Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
According to these reports, the presidency was reportedly planning to use Governor Oyebanji’s relationship with Fayemi to undermine his political future. However, both APC leaders rejected these claims, asserting that they were without merit.
Dipe clarified the party’s position, stating, “It is not true that the party or the presidency has concluded any plans regarding Governor Oyebanji’s return ticket. These are baseless rumors being peddled by political enemies to stir up trouble.”
Despite the swirling rumors, Afolabi, Oshun, and Dipe all reiterated that the APC remains united and focused on securing President Tinubu’s success in the 2027 elections.
They urged party members and Nigerians to ignore the misinformation and concentrate on the party’s objectives for the upcoming political cycle.