Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has inaugurated a 344-member campaign council for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, amid the absence of several prominent All Progressives Congress leaders in the state.
Those absent at Thursday’s inauguration in Osogbo included Gboyega Oyetola, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy; Bola Oyebamiji, the APC governorship candidate for the 2026 Osun election; Tajudeen Lawal, the party’s state chairman; Timothy Owoeye, former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly; and Oluwole Oke, member representing Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency.
Hours before the event, the Osun APC had accused Adeleke’s camp of failing to brief the party about the inauguration, describing the development as an attempt to create division within its ranks.
However, some prominent party figures attended the ceremony, including former Osun State Governor Adebisi Akande, APC National Secretary Ajibola Basiru, and former party National Secretary Iyiola Omisore.
Speaking at the event, Basiru urged APC stakeholders to set aside their differences and support Adeleke in mobilising votes for Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
He said the president’s decision to appoint Adeleke as campaign coordinator in Osun should be respected, adding that no personal ambition or ego should take precedence over Tinubu’s second-term bid.
Basiru also called on political stakeholders across the state to work with the governor to deliver a decisive victory for the president, regardless of their political affiliations or individual ambitions.
In his remarks, Adeleke said the council’s primary objective was to mobilise more than the 1.5 million votes previously promised to Tinubu.
He described the alliance involving the Accord Party, APC and Peoples Democratic Party structures in the state as a “rainbow coalition” capable of securing an overwhelming victory for the president.
Adeleke urged members of the council to unite behind Tinubu, stressing that the coalition was limited to the presidential election and did not extend to legislative contests.
He said members remained free to support their respective party candidates in the senatorial, House of Representatives and state House of Assembly elections.
The governor also disclosed that discussions between the federal and state governments on resolving the local government crisis in Osun had reached an advanced stage, expressing optimism that a resolution would come soon.
Boluwatife Enome
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