A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Hassan Yusuf , has dismissed reports suggesting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu endorsed Mrs. Hannah Ogunesan as the party’s candidate for Oyo North Senatorial District ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Yusuf, in a statement made available to ITV Online on Sunday, described the alreports and social media posts linking recent photographs of Ogunesan with President Tinubu during a Sallah visit by APC leaders and aspirants to the President.
However, Yusuf insisted that the photographs were being misrepresented.
“It is surprising that some individuals have sought to misrepresent photographs and handshakes exchanged during a courtesy visit as constituting an official presidential endorsement of a particular senatorial aspirant,” he said.
According to him, the visit was a routine Sallah engagement involving party leaders and aspirants and should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any individual seeking elective office.
“Such a narrative is not only an affront to the integrity and impartiality of the office of the President, but also an abuse of the privilege extended by Mr. President to members of his party who visited him in the spirit of Sallah celebrations,” Yusuf stated.
He argued that the process for the emergence of the APC candidate in Oyo North remained unresolved and should be determined strictly in accordance with party rules and electoral laws.
“The facts remain clear. The APC National Headquarters directed that direct primaries be conducted for the emergence of candidates in Oyo North Senatorial District,” he said.
Yusuf further alleged that concerns persisted among party stakeholders regarding the conduct of the process.
“There is widespread concern and dispute regarding the failure of the APC state chapter to conduct the direct primary elections and the absence of proper engagement of aspirants on the process at the state level,” he said.
He added that there was no agreement among aspirants on any consensus arrangement.
“There was no template used or accepted consensus arrangement among the four aspirants who expressed interest in contesting for the senatorial ticket,” Yusuf maintained.
The APC member warned against what he described as attempts to use perceived presidential support as a substitute for due process.
“Any attempt by any individual or group to project a presidential endorsement as a substitute for due process is inconsistent with the spirit and letters of the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the Constitution of the APC,” he said.
Calling on the APC National Working Committee (NWC) to intervene, Yusuf urged the party leadership to thoroughly examine the circumstances surrounding the senatorial primary process.
“We call on the National Leadership of our great party to critically examine all issues surrounding the Oyo North Senatorial District primary process and resist any attempt to impose a candidate through unconstitutional means or manufactured endorsements,” he said.
He also appealed to the Presidency to publicly clarify its position on the matter.
“We respectfully call on the Office of the President to publicly distance itself from any claim that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has endorsed any aspirant for the Oyo North Senatorial District ticket of the APC,” Yusuf stated.
According to him, such clarification would help preserve the sanctity of the President’s office and prevent the misuse of his name for political purposes.
Yusuf further urged the APC leadership to ensure transparency and fairness in the selection process.
“All decisions must be based on merit, legality and compliance with established party procedures,” he said, adding that aspirants should be provided with “a level playing field” to guarantee the emergence of a candidate with genuine grassroots support.
He maintained that his position was driven by loyalty to the APC and commitment to democratic principles.
“As loyal members of the APC, our position is not driven by personal interests but by our commitment to the supremacy of the party, the rule of law and the preservation of democratic values within our great party,” he said.
Yusuf warned that any deviation from due process could have adverse consequences for party unity in the district.
“The future of APC in Oyo North depends on the confidence of its members in the integrity of the process. Any attempt to circumvent due process will only weaken party unity and undermine the confidence of the grassroots who remain the backbone of our electoral success,” he added.