The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has effectively distanced itself from the presidential campaign council inaugurated by Governor Ademola Adeleke, constituting a parallel 168-member campaign council to drive support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election and the party’s National and State Assembly candidates in the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued on Monday in Osogbo by the state APC Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, the party announced the appointment of its 2026 governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, as Director-General of the new Presidential and Parliamentary Campaign Committee.
Lawal will serve as Deputy Director-General, while Oyebamiji’s running mate in the last election, Engineer Benjamin Adereti, and Kehinde Olamolu were named Assistant Directors-General I and II respectively.
Lawal explained that the new council was necessary to strengthen the party’s campaign machinery after the national APC Presidential Campaign Council was inaugurated by Tinubu in Abuja on October 14 and Adeleke’s subsequent inauguration of the state structure.
“We consider it extremely important to therefore bolster the efforts of the PCC to deliver massive votes for the re-election of our President, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), in the forthcoming general elections,” the statement said.
“We have therefore carefully selected All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders and members in Osun State to actualise our collective desire of ensuring all-round victory for the President as well as our National and State Assembly candidates.”
The parallel council includes the three APC senatorial candidates, the nine House of Representatives candidates, former Speaker of the House of Representatives Foluke Etteh, former deputy governors, retired General Alani Akinrinade, Ambassador Femi Fani-Kayode, party spokesperson Kola Olabisi, and other stakeholders. A 58-member Elders’ Council was also constituted to provide guidance.
The APC leadership insisted it remained committed to working in unison with members of the existing State Presidential Campaign Council while prioritising victory for Tinubu and the party’s legislative candidates.
However, some members of the Osun APC State Executive Committee rejected the newly released list on Tuesday, demanding an immediate review. In a statement signed by State Publicity Secretary Wole Adunola, Assistant Organising Secretary Rasheed Adeniji and Ex-Officio Abiola Ololade, the officials said the composition failed to adequately reflect party guidelines, due process and inclusiveness. They cited the omission of several State Working Committee members who they said should be statutory members and questioned why a new structure had emerged without clear alignment with Adeleke’s earlier inauguration.
Adeleke has repeatedly clarified that his cooperation with the APC is limited strictly to Tinubu’s re-election and does not extend to sharing legislative or local government seats.
The emergence of dual campaign structures highlights lingering internal divisions within the Osun APC and the complex political alliance between the Accord Party governor and the ruling party ahead of the 2027 polls.
About the Author
