Adeleke’s Campaign Council Faces Fresh Challenge As Osun APC Unveils New 2027 Structure

The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has constituted a 168-member campaign council to coordinate support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid and the party’s National and State Assembly candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The state APC Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, announced the formation of the council in a statement issued in Osogbo on Monday, explaining that the new structure was established to strengthen the party’s campaign operations and mobilise support across the state.

Under the arrangement, the party’s governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, will serve as Director-General, while Lawal will occupy the position of Deputy Director-General.

Benjamin Adereti, who was Oyebamiji’s running mate in the last Osun governorship election, and Kehinde Olamolu have been appointed Assistant Director-Generals I and II, respectively.

The council also includes the APC’s three senatorial candidates and nine House of Representatives candidates, alongside several prominent party leaders and political figures.

Among those listed are former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Foluke Etteh; former deputy governors Adeleke Adewoyin, Iyiola Omisore, Titi Laoye-Ponnle and Adegboyega Alabi; retired General Alani Akinrinade; Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode; and the party’s spokesperson, Kola Olabisi.

Lawal said the decision to establish the council followed the inauguration of the national APC Presidential Campaign Council by Tinubu on October 14, 2026, and the subsequent inauguration of an Osun State presidential campaign council by Governor Ademola Adeleke on October 22.

He explained that the state party leadership considered it necessary to strengthen the campaign structure to secure substantial votes for Tinubu and ensure victory for APC candidates contesting National and State Assembly seats.

However, the formation of the new council comes amid disagreements over the earlier campaign structure inaugurated by Adeleke, who is associated with the Accord Party but has expressed support for Tinubu’s re-election.

Lawal maintained that the APC leadership in Osun was not consulted before the governor inaugurated the earlier presidential campaign council, a development that reportedly contributed to the party’s decision to establish its own structure.

Adeleke’s October 22 inauguration attracted several political figures, including APC National Secretary Ajibola Basiru, former Osun Governor Bisi Akande, and former deputy governors Iyiola Omisore and Titi Laoye-Ponnle.

Notably absent from the event were prominent APC figures, including former governor and Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola; Oyebamiji; and Lawal.

Despite the disagreement surrounding the campaign arrangement, the Osun APC chairman said the party remained committed to working with members of the existing presidential campaign council to achieve its electoral objectives.

According to Bush Radio Academy, the emergence of a separate 168-member campaign structure highlights the political disagreements within Osun’s Tinubu re-election mobilisation efforts ahead of the 2027 general elections.