The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has welcomed the party’s National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, to the state, urging members to unite ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Alli, in a statement issued, on Wednesday in Ibadan, described Yilwatda’s visit as timely and significant to ongoing efforts to strengthen the party and position it for electoral victory in the state.

He said the visit demonstrated the commitment of the APC national leadership to building a united, disciplined and formidable party capable of reclaiming Oyo State in 2027.

According to him, the presence of the national chairman would energise party members, reassure supporters and strengthen the collective resolve of the APC to present a united front to the electorate.

“I warmly welcome our National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, to the historic and politically significant Oyo State. His visit is a demonstration that the national leadership of our great party is deeply concerned about the progress, unity and electoral fortunes of APC in the state,” he said.

Alli said Oyo APC was determined to put its internal disagreements behind it and focus on the broader objective of providing what he described as a credible alternative to the people of the state.

He urged party leaders, elders, stakeholders and members across the 33 local government areas to use the visit to renew their commitment to reconciliation, unity and purposeful grassroots mobilisation.

The APC candidate stressed that the strength of the party lay in its ability to accommodate diverse interests while pursuing a common political objective, warning that personal ambition should not supersede the collective interest.

“We are ready to work with the national leadership to build a party that is disciplined, inclusive, transparent and firmly rooted at the grassroots,” Alli said.

He added that the APC was not merely preparing for an election but seeking to offer Oyo residents an alternative anchored on competence, accountability, security, economic development and inclusive governance.

Alli expressed confidence in Yilwatda’s leadership, describing him as a leader with the experience, temperament and capacity to unite the party and position it for greater electoral victories.

He assured the national chairman that APC members in Oyo were prepared to work with the national leadership, adding that the party’s structures across the state would be mobilised for victory in 2027.

“The task before us is greater than any individual. It is about the future of Oyo State and the welfare of our people. We must therefore put APC first, Oyo State first and the people first.

“I am confident that with unity of purpose, genuine reconciliation and disciplined grassroots mobilisation, APC will emerge victorious in 2027,” he said.

Alli also welcomed other members of the APC national leadership, including the National Secretary, Senator Bashir Ajibola, to the state.