The internal crisis within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has intensified following a petition by a group of party stakeholders to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the party’s defeat in the August 15 governorship election.
The group, operating as the Osun APC Stakeholders Forum, attributed the party’s loss to incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke to what it described as internal divisions and the alleged dominance of former governor and Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola.
In an open letter dated August 18 and signed by Professor Akin Adeyanju and Sola Ajayi, the stakeholders accused Oyetola of allegedly concentrating federal appointments among his allies and influencing the selection of candidates for elective positions.
The group claimed that the alleged exclusion of other party leaders weakened the APC’s grassroots support and created divisions across Osun’s three senatorial districts. It urged President Tinubu to intervene and initiate an independent review of the party’s structure and candidate-selection process.
The stakeholders also called for a reconciliation process involving Oyetola, party elders and other aggrieved members. They proposed a review of federal appointments from Osun, a fact-finding committee on the party’s primaries and a fresh effort to rebuild the state executive through an inclusive process.
“We believe this pattern of exclusion left the party’s base disengaged,” the group said in its petition.
The allegations, however, have not gone unanswered. The Osun APC leadership has cautioned members against engaging in a blame game over the election outcome and urged stakeholders to concentrate on rebuilding the party.
The dispute is significant because the APC’s post-election crisis could influence its strategy and internal organisation ahead of future elections, including the 2027 general election.
The August 15 governorship election was won by Adeleke, who secured a fresh mandate. The result has now triggered renewed debate within the APC over its campaign strategy, leadership structure and relationship with grassroots members.
As the party begins to assess the outcome, efforts to reconcile competing interests and strengthen internal unity are expected to shape the next phase of the Osun APC’s political activities.
