Osun APC Crisis Deepens As State Exco Rejects Oyebamiji-Led Tinubu Campaign Council

A major crack has emerged in the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress APC over the composition of the campaign council for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the January presidential election.

Some members of the State Executive Committee have rejected the newly constituted Presidential and Parliamentary Campaign Council led by the party’s governorship candidate in the August governorship election, Bola Oyebamiji.

Checks revealed that Oyebamiji was named Director-General of the new council while the APC state chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, was named Deputy Director-General.

The aggrieved Exco members described the Oyebamiji-led council as a parallel structure with an agenda to create confusion in the party.

The rejection was contained in a statement signed by the Osun State APC Publicity Secretary, Wole Adunola, Welfare Officer, Deaconess Adesola Ayangbile and Assistant Organising Secretary, Rasheed Adeniji.

According to them, the 168-member campaign council does not adequately reflect established party guidelines, due process and the principle of inclusiveness required in constituting such an important campaign structure.

They noted that the team was constituted without consultations with the State Working Committee and is inconsistent with the earlier presidential directive reportedly naming Governor Ademola Adeleke as the Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Council in Osun State.

It would be recalled that a campaign council with Governor Ademola Adeleke as Director-General was formally inaugurated last month.

The statement called for an immediate review of the published list, with appropriate consultations involving relevant stakeholders, including the National Secretary of the party, Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, and the State Director-General, to ensure proper alignment and effective coordination.

The statement reads in part, the attention of some members of the Osun State Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress APC has been drawn to the recently released list of the Osun State Presidential Campaign Council PCC.

Following a careful review, we express our strong dissatisfaction with the composition of the list, which, in our view, does not adequately reflect established party guidelines, due process and the principle of inclusiveness required in constituting such an important campaign structure. We therefore reject the list in its present form.

Of particular concern is the omission of several members of the State Working Committee who, according to the applicable guidelines, are expected to be statutory members of the council. The exclusion of these recognised party officials raises serious concerns about consultation, due process and respect for the party’s established leadership structure.

Furthermore, the composition of the list appears inconsistent with the earlier presidential directive reportedly naming Governor Ademola Adeleke as the Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Council in Osun State. Following that directive, the governor promptly inaugurated a broad-based campaign team to drive the presidential campaign across the state. It is, therefore, unclear why a different structure has now emerged without adequate clarification or alignment with the existing arrangement. However, if the newly released list is intended to serve as a Parliamentary Campaign Council rather than the Presidential Campaign Council, its composition would be more understandable. This distinction must be clearly established to avoid confusion, duplication of responsibilities and unnecessary friction within the party’s campaign structure.

The State Executive Committee remains an integral part of the APC’s organisational framework and cannot be sidelined in the constitution of a state-wide campaign council. A successful campaign must be built on mutual respect, proper coordination and the active involvement of legitimate party stakeholders.

We consequently call for an immediate review of the published list, with appropriate consultations involving relevant stakeholders, including the National Secretary of our party, Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, and the State Director-General, to ensure proper alignment and effective coordination.

Our commitment to the APC and the success of our presidential candidate remains unwavering. However, party loyalty should not prevent constructive engagement when decisions risk creating avoidable divisions and weakening our collective efforts.

The Exco members added that they remain fully committed to the success of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu but insisted the current composition of the PCC list must be reviewed to reflect inclusiveness and institutional respect necessary for a united and formidable campaign.