Tinubu’s Re-election: Osun APC Leaders Reject Oyebamiji-Led Campaign Council

A fresh crisis has emerged within the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general election, as some members of the party’s State Executive Committee have rejected the newly constituted presidential and parliamentary campaign council led by its governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji.

The aggrieved party officials described the 168-member campaign council as flawed and non-inclusive, alleging that its composition violated established party guidelines, due process and the principle of inclusiveness.

The disagreement followed the announcement of the council by the Osun APC chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, on Monday, with Oyebamiji appointed as Director-General and Lawal as Deputy Director-General.

The development has further exposed disagreements over who should coordinate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign in Osun, following the earlier appointment of Governor Ademola Adeleke as the state’s presidential campaign coordinator.

In a joint statement, four members of the State Executive Committee — State Publicity Secretary Wole Adunola, Welfare Officer Deaconess Adesola Ayangbile, Assistant Organising Secretary Rasheed Adeniji and Ex-Officio member Abiola Ololade — expressed dissatisfaction with the composition of the new council.

They argued that several members of the State Working Committee, who should be statutory members of the campaign structure, were left out of the list.

The officials said the exclusion raised concerns about consultation, due process and respect for the party’s established leadership structure.

“We therefore reject the list in its present form,” they declared.

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They also questioned why another campaign structure had emerged despite an earlier presidential directive reportedly naming Adeleke as Director-General of the Tinubu Presidential Campaign Council in Osun State.

The signatories recalled that Adeleke had subsequently inaugurated a broad-based campaign team following the directive, making the emergence of another presidential campaign council without adequate clarification a source of confusion.

They questioned whether the newly announced structure was intended to replace the governor-led campaign council or operate alongside it.

The officials suggested that the arrangement would be more understandable if the new list was intended for the parliamentary campaign rather than the presidential election.

They warned that having two competing structures could create confusion, duplicate responsibilities and generate unnecessary friction among party stakeholders.

The disagreement dates back to October 22, when Adeleke inaugurated a 344-member Tinubu Presidential Campaign Council in Osogbo after being appointed to coordinate the President’s re-election campaign in the state.

The governor’s appointment had generated controversy within the APC, particularly because several influential party figures, including former governor and Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, Oyebamiji and Lawal, were absent from the inauguration.

Although Adeleke pledged to work for Tinubu’s re-election, he made it clear that his support would not extend to APC candidates seeking election into the National Assembly and the Osun State House of Assembly.

The state APC subsequently announced its separate 168-member presidential and parliamentary campaign council, with Oyebamiji as Director-General.

The new council also includes Oyebamiji’s running mate, Benjamin Adereti, and Kehinde Olamolu as assistant directors-general. Other prominent members include former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Foluke Etteh; former deputy governors Iyiola Omisore, Titi Laoye-Ponnle, Adegboyega Alabi and Adeleke Adewoyin; retired General Alani Akinrinade; and Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode.

The three APC senatorial candidates and nine House of Representatives candidates in the state were also included.

The protesting officials insisted that the State Executive Committee remained an important part of the party’s organisational structure and should not be sidelined in decisions concerning a state-wide campaign council.

They called for an immediate review of the list through consultations involving relevant stakeholders, particularly APC National Secretary, Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, and the state campaign Director-General.

According to them, the party needs a campaign structure that respects established leadership arrangements, accommodates critical stakeholders and promotes unity ahead of the 2027 elections.

Despite their objections, the four officials reaffirmed their commitment to the APC and Tinubu’s re-election bid, insisting that their concerns were aimed at preventing internal disagreements from weakening the party’s campaign.

The latest development adds another dimension to the political contest within the Osun APC, as party leaders struggle to harmonise the different campaign arrangements ahead of the 2027 general election.

Tinubu’s Re-election: Osun APC Leaders Reject Oyebamiji-Led Campaign Council