A fresh disagreement has emerged within the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following the rejection of a newly constituted campaign committee by four members of the party’s State Executive Committee, who accused the leadership of disregarding established party structures and due process.
The contentious list, released by the state party leadership, named the APC’s 2026 governorship candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, popularly known as AMBO, as Director-General of the campaign committee, with State Chairman Tajudeen Lawal as Deputy Director-General.
However, four members of the State Executive Committee, in a joint statement, rejected the composition of the committee, arguing that it failed to reflect the principles of inclusiveness, consultation and adherence to the party’s established guidelines.
The statement was signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Wole Adunola; Welfare Officer, Adesola Ayangbile; Assistant Organising Secretary, Rasheed Adeniji; and Ex-Officio member, Abiola Ololade.
The dissenting officials particularly faulted the omission of several members of the State Working Committee, whom they maintained were entitled to statutory membership of the campaign council under the applicable party guidelines.
They argued that excluding recognised party officials raised questions about internal democracy, due process and respect for the established leadership structure of the party.
The officials also expressed concern that the newly released list appeared inconsistent with an earlier arrangement under which Governor Ademola Adeleke was reportedly designated to coordinate President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign in Osun State.
According to them, Adeleke had subsequently inaugurated a broad-based campaign team to mobilise support for the President across the state, making the emergence of another presidential campaign structure without adequate clarification a potential source of confusion and friction.
They consequently called for an immediate review of the list and consultations with relevant stakeholders, including the APC National Secretary, Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, and the state campaign Director-General.
The officials stressed that the State Executive Committee remained an integral part of the party’s organisational structure and should not be sidelined in the constitution of a state-wide campaign arrangement.
They, however, reaffirmed their commitment to the success of President Tinubu’s re-election bid, insisting that constructive criticism should not be interpreted as disloyalty to the party.
Meanwhile, the Osun APC leadership has clarified that the committee headed by Oyebamiji is not a parallel presidential campaign council but a separate structure established to coordinate campaigns for the party’s National Assembly and State House of Assembly candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, and signed by the party’s Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, the APC explained that the 110-member committee was specifically constituted to coordinate its parliamentary and state legislative campaigns.
The clarification followed the controversy generated by the announcement of Oyebamiji as Director-General of the committee and allegations by some party officials that the arrangement undermined the existing presidential campaign structure.
The party maintained that the committee was distinct from the broader presidential campaign council inaugurated by Governor Adeleke on October 22, following his designation as Osun State coordinator of the presidential campaign.
The APC leadership also appealed to party members to refrain from actions capable of generating unnecessary disagreements, insisting that the two campaign structures had separate responsibilities.
The development followed the earlier inauguration of a 344-member presidential campaign council by Governor Adeleke, comprising political stakeholders drawn from different political backgrounds, including members of the APC, Accord Party and Peoples Democratic Party.
The broader arrangement was designed to mobilise support for President Tinubu’s re-election bid across Osun State.
Oyebamiji’s appointment to head the separate parliamentary campaign committee therefore places him in charge of coordinating the APC’s efforts to secure legislative seats, while the presidential campaign arrangement remains under Adeleke’s coordination.
The controversy nevertheless highlights the importance of effective communication, internal consultation and clearly defined responsibilities within political party structures, particularly as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.
While the latest clarification appears to have addressed the question of the committee’s mandate, the concerns raised by the four State Executive Committee members over the composition of the list and the exclusion of certain party officials remain important issues for the party leadership to address.
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