- …Demand review over alleged exclusion
By Haruna Salami
Some members of the Osun State Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have rejected the composition of the party’s newly constituted Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), demanding an immediate review to address what they described as violations of established party procedures and inclusiveness.
The aggrieved party officials expressed concerns over the alleged exclusion of key members of the State Working Committee, insisting that the composition of the campaign council failed to recognize the party’s existing leadership structure and principles of due process.
Their position was contained in an official rejoinder signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Wole Adunola; Assistant Organizing Secretary, Rasheed Adeniji; and Ex-Officio member, Abiola Ololade.
Rejecting the list, the signatories said several members of the State Working Committee, who were expected to serve as statutory members of the council, had been left out.
“We, therefore, reject the list in its present form. We cite the omission of several members of the State Working Committee who were expected to be statutory members of the council,” the statement read.
They argued that excluding recognized party officials raised concerns about consultation, due process and respect for established leadership structures.
The officials also questioned the emergence of the new campaign council, noting that its composition appeared inconsistent with an earlier presidential directive reportedly designating Governor Ademola Adeleke as Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Council in Osun State.
According to them, Adeleke had subsequently inaugurated a broad-based campaign team to coordinate the President’s campaign across the state.
They therefore sought clarification on why another structure had been introduced without adequate consultation or alignment with the existing arrangement.
The signatories suggested that the newly released list would have been more understandable if it was intended for a Parliamentary Campaign Council rather than the Presidential Campaign Council, warning that the distinction was necessary to prevent confusion, duplication of responsibilities and internal disagreements.
Reaffirming the importance of the State Executive Committee, they maintained that the body could not be sidelined in the constitution of a state-wide campaign council.
They also called for consultations involving relevant stakeholders, including the APC National Secretary, Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, and the State Director-General, to resolve the disagreements and ensure proper coordination.
Despite their reservations, the officials reaffirmed their commitment to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid and the overall interests of the APC.
“We remain fully committed to the success of our presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the overall interests of the APC,” they stated.
The development follows an earlier announcement by the Osun APC Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, confirming the appointment of the party’s governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, as Director-General of its 2027 Presidential and Parliamentary Campaign Committee.
Lawal had also announced the constitution of a 58-member Elders’ Council as part of efforts to strengthen the party’s campaign machinery ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The appointments reportedly followed the inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign Council by President Tinubu in Abuja on October 14, 2026, and the subsequent inauguration of the Osun State Presidential Campaign Council by Governor Adeleke on October 22.
The latest disagreement highlights competing positions within the Osun APC over the composition and coordination of its campaign structures ahead of the 2027 elections.
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