The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed dissatisfaction with the short notice given for the inauguration of the State Presidential Campaign Committee for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign.
The party said it was not consulted before the announcement of the 344-member campaign council, which was scheduled for inauguration on Thursday.
In a statement signed by Osun APC Chairman Tajudeen Lawal, the party said it only learnt about the planned inauguration through a list of members released by Governor Ademola Adeleke’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, on Wednesday.
The campaign council reportedly includes prominent political figures such as former Osun State Governor Adebisi Akande, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Adegboyega Oyetola, APC National Secretary Ajibola Basiru, the party’s governorship candidate in the 2026 election, Bola Oyebamiji, and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Foluke Etteh.
Others listed include former senators Iyiola Omisore, Jide Omoworare and Sola Adeyeye; Yinka Ajayi; former Deputy Governor of Osun State Titilayo Ponle; Akintunde Adegboye; and Mumini Olabanji.
The committee also features state executives of the APC, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Accord Party, alongside candidates of the APC and Accord for the National Assembly and State House of Assembly. Former federal and state lawmakers, PDP and Accord chieftains, as well as PDP and APC local government chairmen, were also listed.
However, concerns emerged over the inclusion of opposition figures in the committee, with sources from Adeleke’s camp and the Osun APC indicating that no formal meeting had been held to discuss how Tinubu’s re-election campaign would be managed in the state since Adeleke’s appointment as coordinator.
An unnamed Osun APC source said the party had not met with the governor’s camp before the list was made public.
“The two camps have not met. We just saw the list like everyone in the state. There is uncertainty around it, but I can’t officially say what the APC reaction will be,” the source said.
Efforts to obtain a separate reaction from the Osun APC spokesperson, Kola Olabisi, were unsuccessful, as he did not answer calls or respond to messages seeking his comments.
Reacting to the proposed inauguration, Lawal acknowledged the importance of the campaign and said the APC had agreed to Adeleke’s appointment as the state coordinator of Tinubu’s re-election campaign committee.
He said cooperation among the political parties involved could support the President’s re-election efforts but insisted that the process should follow proper procedures.
Lawal said the party was unaware of any planned inauguration apart from the names published on social media by Adeleke’s spokesperson on Wednesday afternoon.
He argued that the re-election campaign of a sitting President required adequate planning and official protocols, adding that less than 12 hours’ notice was insufficient for many invited members to make the necessary arrangements.
According to him, announcing the committee’s membership less than 24 hours before the inauguration, without consulting the APC leadership in the state, could create unnecessary tension between the party and the President.
Lawal further alleged that the arrangement could trigger avoidable misunderstandings between the Osun APC and Adeleke, who was appointed to coordinate the campaign in the state.
He, however, stressed that the party was not opposed to making concessions to ensure Tinubu’s re-election, insisting that the process should be properly organised to achieve its objectives.
