Osun APC clarifies new committee is for parliamentary candidates, not a rival presidential body

The All Progressives Congress (APC) branch in Osun State released a statement to clarify the role of its recently formed committee, refuting accusations that it acts as an alternative to the official presidential campaign machinery. In a statement released on Thursday, the party confirmed that the committee is strictly a Parliamentary Campaign Committee, tasked with campaigning for the party’s candidates for the National Assembly and the state House of Assembly. The political group strongly denied reports that it created a rival presidential campaign body intended to compete with the official structure launched by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The new parliamentary body is led by Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, who serves as its Director-General. Oyebamiji is a former governorship candidate for the party in the previous election. The APC stated that his role is to champion the achievements of the presidential candidate to help secure electoral success, rather than to coordinate a separate presidential effort. Leadership stressed that creating a duplicate campaign framework was unnecessary, given that Governor Ademola Adeleke currently serves as the designated state coordinator for President Tinubu’s electoral efforts.

Background

The clarification follows concerns raised earlier in the week regarding the composition of the new committee and its relationship to the broader party strategy. In a written address, Kola Olabisi, the party’s Director of Media and Information, clarified the situation, pointing out that it is widely known Governor Adeleke has pledged to work with other political groups in Osun State to secure over 1.5 million votes for the sitting president in the approaching election. Olabisi stated that the party has repeatedly expressed gratitude to Governor Adeleke for his resolve to lead the presidential campaign and affirmed the party’s readiness to work with him. Citing a gathering at Nelson Mandela Park in Osogbo, the state capital, on the preceding Saturday, he highlighted the party’s dedication to partnering with the governor to ensure the electoral success of their presidential nominee.

Additionally, the party addressed specific complaints from members of the State Executive Committee. Olabisi noted that four out of the 35 executive members had raised concerns about the omission of their names from a published list on social media. The party characterized this resentment as an indication of these members' strong desire to be counted among the active participants in the Oyebamiji-led parliamentary campaign council. Olabisi urged individuals he labeled as troublemakers to stop attempting to sow discord, division, and fragmentation within the broad political alliance, which he noted is producing favorable outcomes.

Why it matters

The clarification is significant for maintaining unity within the APC in Osun State ahead of the upcoming elections. The party is attempting to consolidate support around both its presidential and parliamentary candidates without creating internal friction. By distinguishing the roles of the parliamentary committee and the presidential campaign, the party aims to prevent confusion among voters and party members. The involvement of Governor Adeleke as the state coordinator for the presidential campaign, alongside the parliamentary efforts led by Oyebamiji, highlights a dual-track strategy to maximize vote share. The party’s emphasis on collaboration and the avoidance of division suggests an effort to present a united front to the electorate, leveraging the combined influence of the state governor and the party’s legislative candidates to secure the targeted 1.5 million votes for the president while also ensuring the success of individual assembly members.