Tinubu Summons 76 Osun APC Leaders to Aso Rock, Demands Unity Ahead of August 15 Poll

 

By Abdulahi Musa 

President Bola Tinubu has summoned 76 leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State to an emergency meeting at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja, amid growing concerns over divisions within the party ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

The closed-door meeting, which was held late at night, reportedly followed an intelligence report presented to the President by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

According to sources who attended the meeting, the NSA’s report indicated that several APC leaders in Osun were unhappy with the way the party’s affairs were being handled and felt sidelined from the ongoing campaign activities.

Following the report, President Tinubu reportedly directed the APC National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, to mobilise and coordinate party leaders who had allegedly been left out of the campaign structure.

The APC leaders were reportedly flown to Abuja on chartered flights from Ibadan, Oyo State, while some others, including former Senior Special Assistant to the President on Legislative Matters, Babajide Omoworare, travelled from Lagos.

Among those said to have attended the meeting were former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Olubunmi Ete; former Osun State House of Assembly Speakers Mojeed Alabi, Adejare Bello and Wale Afolabi; as well as Shuaib Oyedokun, Poju Odusola and Bode Olanipekun.

A former lawmaker who attended the meeting said the gathering provided an opportunity for the APC leaders to openly express their grievances to the President and discuss strategies for ensuring victory for the party’s governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji.

The source said the leaders complained that several party members had been sidelined, particularly in the distribution of federal appointments.

According to him, the leaders told Tinubu that many of the federal appointments from Osun State had allegedly gone predominantly to members of the faction loyal to former Osun State Governor and current Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola.

The President was reportedly told that the situation had created dissatisfaction among other APC leaders and could negatively affect the party’s chances in the election.

Responding to the concerns, Tinubu reportedly urged the leaders to put their differences aside and work collectively for the party’s victory.

The President was also said to have expressed disappointment over the APC’s losses in the 2022 Osun governorship election and the 2023 general elections.

Tinubu reportedly recalled that Oyetola had significant resources at his disposal during the 2022 governorship election but still lost, stressing that although Oyetola subsequently received a ministerial appointment, the loss ultimately affected the APC as a party.

The President consequently urged the Osun APC leaders to close ranks and work together to secure victory for Oyebamiji in the August 15 election.

The meeting was described by one of the participants as a “no-holds-barred” session where grievances were openly discussed and possible solutions were considered.

The Osun APC Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Olabisi, confirmed that the meeting took place but declined to provide further details.

The emergency meeting comes less than a week before the Osun State governorship election, in which the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, is seeking to defeat the incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke and other contenders.