Osun APC Stakeholders Accuse Oyetola of Running a One-Man Show, Blame Him for Party’s Defeat

A group within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, known as the Osun APC Stakeholders Forum, has blamed the party’s defeat in the August 15, 2026 governorship election on what it described as the alleged exclusion of critical stakeholders from the party’s leadership and candidate-selection processes.

The group made its position known in an open letter dated August 18 and addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

In the letter titled “Why We Lost the Osun State August 15, 2026 Gubernatorial Election,” the forum said the principal reason for the APC’s defeat was the alleged conduct of the immediate past governor of Osun State and Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola.

The forum, which described itself as a pressure group within the APC, alleged that Oyetola concentrated federal political appointments around his allies, associates and people from his political camp, while sidelining other party stakeholders.

It further alleged that the minister played a dominant role in the selection of APC candidates for elective positions in the state, despite appeals from party elders for wider consultation.

According to the group, the alleged pattern of exclusion weakened the party’s base and contributed to the loss of support across Osun’s three senatorial districts.

The forum listed 26 federal political appointments which it claimed were largely drawn from Oyetola’s hometown and political camp. It also listed positions involving the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, including coordinators across the 31 local government areas and 332 wards.

Among those named in the letter were Oyetola himself, Bola Oyebamiji, who contested the governorship election on the APC platform, Benjamin Adereti, Dayo Babaranti, Fatai Adeyemi, Adeniran Aderogba, Lekan Badmus, Charles Akindiji, Ayo Omidiran and several other political appointees and governing council members.

The stakeholders also alleged that Oyetola single-handedly nominated the APC’s governorship and deputy governorship candidates, three senatorial candidates, nine House of Representatives candidates and 26 House of Assembly candidates.

The group said the alleged concentration of political opportunities in one camp left sections of the APC dissatisfied and disengaged before the election.

The APC lost the August 15 governorship election to the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke, who contested under the Accord platform. Reports on the election put Adeleke’s votes at 511,067, ahead of APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji.

The Osun APC Stakeholders Forum called on President Tinubu to intervene in the affairs of the party in the state.

Among its demands were an independent review of the Osun APC leadership structure and candidate-selection process, as well as a reconciliation meeting involving Oyetola, party elders and aggrieved stakeholders under the supervision of the APC National Working Committee.

The group also called for greater fairness in the distribution of federal appointments from Osun State, arguing that appointments should reflect the wider membership of the party and the three senatorial districts.

It further proposed a representative state congress and a stakeholders’ reconciliation summit involving different factions, elders and interest groups within the party.

The forum said future candidate selection should be based on wider consultation rather than the preference of a single political leader.

The letter was signed by Professor Akin Adeyanju, Coordinator of the Osun APC Stakeholders Forum, and Honourable Sola Ajayi, Secretary.

The allegations in the letter are those of the Osun APC Stakeholders Forum. The group’s claims and proposed reforms were also reported by The Guardian and TheCable.