…Group Says Suit Contradicts Alagbe’s Claim, Urges ADC Supporters to Back Adegoke
The Oyo Youth Alliance (OYA) has claimed that a legal action instituted by one of the governorship aspirants of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dr. Azeez Popoola Adeduntan, has provided fresh evidence that Olooye Adegboyega Taofeek Adegoke was submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the party’s governorship candidate for the 2027 Oyo State election.
The group said Adeduntan, through a suit filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja on August 19, 2026, specifically challenged the nomination and submission of Adegoke’s name to INEC by the ADC leadership.
OYA made the claim in a statement issued on Thursday, August 20, 2026, and signed by its Chairman, Alhaji Ganiyu Busari, and Comrade Segun Adedeji.
According to the group, the suit lists INEC as the first respondent; ADC as the second respondent; Chinedu Idigo, National Organising Secretary of ADC, as the third respondent; Harrison Akpojero, Chairman of the Oyo State Electoral Committee of ADC, as the fourth respondent; and Olooye Adegboyega Taofeek Adegoke as the fifth respondent.
OYA argued that the details contained in Adeduntan’s legal action had shed further light on the controversy surrounding the ADC governorship ticket in Oyo State.
The group maintained that, through the originating summons filed by his lawyers, Adeduntan stated that the ADC submitted Adegoke’s name to INEC on August 5, 2026, as the party’s candidate for the Oyo governorship election.
“In the originating summons, Adeduntan, through his lawyers, confirmed that ADC submitted Adegoke’s name to INEC as its candidate in Oyo State on August 5, 2026,” OYA said.
The group said the development was significant in view of recent claims by another ADC governorship aspirant, Dr. Gbemileke Alagbe, popularly known as Eleniyan, who has reportedly presented himself in sections of the media as the party’s authentic governorship candidate.
OYA described Alagbe’s claim as inaccurate, arguing that the court documents filed by Adeduntan did not identify him as the candidate whose nomination was being challenged.
The group challenged Alagbe to explain why Adegoke, rather than himself, was joined as the fifth respondent in Adeduntan’s suit if, indeed, he was the candidate whose name had been submitted to INEC.
It further questioned why the originating summons allegedly stated that Adegoke’s name was submitted to the electoral commission on August 5.
“Why is it that it is Adegoke that Adeduntan joined in his suit? Why did Adeduntan state in his motion that ADC submitted Adegoke’s name on August 5 and not Alagbe’s name?” the group asked.
OYA said the development had, in its view, contradicted Alagbe’s public claim to the ADC governorship ticket and urged him to reconsider his position.
The group described his claim to the ticket as “wishful thinking” and a “futile attempt at claiming what does not belong to him,” while advising him to discontinue what it described as an unnecessary dispute.
Despite its criticism of Alagbe, OYA said he would be welcomed if he chose to support the ADC and work for the success of Adegoke in the 2027 governorship election.
The group urged him to put aside the disagreement over the ticket and contribute his experience and resources to strengthening the party ahead of the election.
The youth organisation also pointed to the recent ADC campaign rally in Osogbo, where it said Adegoke was publicly introduced as the party’s Oyo State governorship candidate.
According to OYA, Adegoke addressed the gathering after being introduced in that capacity at the grand finale of the ADC Osun State governorship campaign.
“Those who were present at the rally or watched the campaign on television would realise that, after his introduction, Olooye Adegoke addressed the crowd as the Oyo State candidate of the ADC,” the group stated.
OYA therefore appealed to members, supporters and stakeholders of the ADC in Oyo State to remain united and continue supporting Adegoke.
It also called on residents of the state to support the ADC candidate, whom it described as the authentic flag bearer of the party and a politician capable of delivering what it termed “good dividends of democracy” to the people.
The controversy over the ADC governorship ticket comes as political activities intensify ahead of the February 2027 Oyo State governorship election, with rival aspirants and political parties positioning themselves for the contest.
