A fresh disagreement has emerged within the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following objections by some members of the State Working Committee to a newly constituted campaign council for President Bola Tinubu.
The officials accused the party's state leadership of disregarding established procedures and excluding key stakeholders in the composition of the 168-member Presidential and Parliamentary Campaign Council.
They also questioned the emergence of the new council, saying it appeared to conflict with an earlier arrangement under which Governor Ademola Adeleke was reportedly appointed to coordinate Tinubu's presidential campaign in the state.
The objections were contained in a statement signed by the APC State Publicity Secretary, Wole Adunola, alongside the party's Welfare Officer, Deaconess Adesola Ayangbile; Assistant Organising Secretary, Rasheed Adeniji; and Ex-Officio member, Abiola Ololade.
The signatories said they were dissatisfied with the composition of the newly released list and would not accept it in its current form.
“We express our strong dissatisfaction with the composition of the list, which, in our view, does not adequately reflect established party guidelines, due process and the principle of inclusiveness required in constituting such an important campaign structure,” they stated.
The controversial list was unveiled on Monday by the state party chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, with the party's former governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, appointed Director-General and Lawal named as his deputy.
However, the protesting officials said the omission of several members of the State Working Committee was unacceptable, insisting that recognised party officers were entitled to membership of the council under the applicable guidelines.
They maintained that excluding such officials without proper consultation undermined the party's leadership structure and raised questions about the credibility of the process.
Beyond the issue of exclusion, the officials expressed concern that the new arrangement could create confusion over the leadership of Tinubu's campaign in Osun.
They recalled that the APC national leadership had reportedly named Adeleke as the Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Council in the state, following which the governor inaugurated a 344-member campaign team in Osogbo on October 22.
The event was attended by the APC National Secretary, Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, although Lawal and Oyebamiji were reportedly absent.
The officials questioned why another campaign structure had emerged without clarification on how it related to the council already inaugurated.
Adeleke, who is associated with the Accord Party, was named state coordinator of Tinubu's re-election campaign despite his political affiliation.
The development has exposed disagreements within the Osun APC over the control and coordination of the president's campaign machinery ahead of the 2027 general election.
The protesting officials, however, indicated that the newly announced council might be acceptable if it was designed exclusively for parliamentary campaigns.
“If the newly released list is intended to serve as a Parliamentary Campaign Council rather than the Presidential Campaign Council, its composition would be more understandable,” they said.
They called for a clear distinction between the presidential and parliamentary campaign structures, warning that failure to do so could lead to overlapping responsibilities and unnecessary friction.
The officials further emphasised that the State Executive Committee remained central to the party's organisational structure and should not be sidelined in decisions affecting its political activities.
They urged the APC leadership to immediately review the list and consult relevant stakeholders, particularly Basiru and the State Director-General, to ensure that the campaign arrangement reflected the party's established procedures.
While reaffirming their commitment to the APC and Tinubu's re-election ambition, the signatories cautioned that loyalty should not be interpreted as an obligation to remain silent when decisions threaten party unity.
“Our commitment to the APC and the success of our presidential candidate remains unwavering,” they said.
They called on the party's state and national leadership to intervene urgently, warning that internal disagreements could weaken the party's ability to mobilise effectively for the forthcoming elections.
“Our position is clear: we need a campaign council that respects party structures, recognises legitimate leadership, accommodates critical stakeholders, and unites all members towards electoral victory,” the statement added.
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