Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has inaugurated a 344-member campaign council for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, bringing together influential political figures across party lines despite the absence of two prominent All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders, Adegboyega Oyetola and Bola Oyebamiji.
The inauguration, held in Osogbo on Thursday, October 22, 2026, brought together senior politicians from different political backgrounds, signalling an unusual alliance ahead of the next presidential election.
However, the absence of Oyetola, Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, and Oyebamiji, the APC candidate in the 2026 Osun governorship election, raised questions about divisions within the party and the changing balance of political influence in the state.
Despite their absence, several APC heavyweights attended the ceremony, including former Osun Governor Adebisi Akande, APC National Secretary Ajibola Basiru and former APC National Secretary Iyiola Omisore.
Their participation gave the event considerable political significance, particularly as Adeleke sought to present the campaign council as a united platform for securing Tinubu’s second term.
Basiru calls for unity as political differences emerge
Speaking at the inauguration, Basiru urged APC members to put personal ambitions and political disagreements aside and work with Adeleke to secure victory for Tinubu.
He made a pointed statement about the calibre of politicians present at the gathering.
“Everybody who matters in Osun politics is here today. As national secretary of the APC, I am, by my position, the most senior political officeholder in southern Nigeria today,” Basiru declared.
The statement attracted attention because several influential APC figures were missing from the gathering.
Basiru maintained that the president’s re-election should take priority over individual political interests.
He also urged party members to recognise Adeleke’s role in coordinating the president’s campaign in Osun, arguing that political differences should not prevent cooperation.
His remarks suggested that the emerging alliance was intended to extend beyond established party loyalties.
Have Oyetola and Oyebamiji lost political influence?
The absence of Oyetola and Oyebamiji has raised questions about their positions within the developing political arrangement.
Both politicians remain important figures in the Osun APC, and their failure to attend an event involving leading national party officials has drawn attention.
According to TheCable’s report, the Osun APC leadership had complained hours before the inauguration that Adeleke’s camp had not briefed it about the event.
The party reportedly described the arrangement as an attempt to create divisions within its ranks.
Other notable absentees included Osun APC Chairman Tajudeen Lawal, former House of Assembly Speaker Timothy Owoeye and House of Representatives member Oluwole Oke.
Their absence demonstrated that the public display of unity did not necessarily reflect agreement among every major APC stakeholder in Osun.
Nevertheless, the participation of Akande, Basiru and Omisore suggested that influential politicians within the party were prepared to work with Adeleke in support of Tinubu.
Adeleke unveils coalition to deliver over 1.5 million votes
At the inauguration, Adeleke outlined an ambitious plan to mobilise more than 1.5 million votes for Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
He described the alliance involving the APC, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Accord structures in Osun as a coalition capable of delivering a decisive victory for the president.
The governor explained that cooperation among the parties would focus specifically on Tinubu’s presidential ambition.
He stressed that members would remain free to support their respective political parties in other elections, including contests for the National Assembly and state legislature.
This distinction could prove important in maintaining the alliance, especially among politicians who remain rivals at the state level.
By separating the presidential campaign from other electoral contests, Adeleke appears to be seeking cooperation without requiring participating politicians to abandon their individual party interests.
Akande joins political heavyweights backing Tinubu
The presence of former Osun Governor Adebisi Akande added weight to the inauguration.
Akande, a founding figure of the APC, joined several former public officeholders and party officials supporting the president’s second-term ambition.
According to The Punch, other attendees included former deputy governors Titi Laoye-Ponle and Lekan Adewoyin, former senator Babajide Omoworare and former PDP National Secretary Wale Oladipo.
Their attendance highlighted the broad political representation at the event, although the absence of other APC leaders showed that disagreements remain.
Akande also called on voters in the South-West to support Tinubu’s bid for another four years in office.
What the alliance means for the 2027 election
The inauguration could mark an important development in Osun politics as politicians begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 general election.
For Adeleke, coordinating a campaign involving influential figures from different political parties provides an opportunity to demonstrate his ability to mobilise support beyond his immediate political base.
For the APC, the event presents both an opportunity and a challenge.
While the participation of national party figures could strengthen Tinubu’s campaign, disagreement involving the state leadership may complicate mobilisation unless differences are resolved.
The development also raises questions about how the new arrangement will affect Oyetola and Oyebamiji, particularly if the campaign structure continues to operate without their visible participation.
What remains clear is that Adeleke has secured the public cooperation of several prominent politicians who have previously stood on different sides of Osun’s political contests.
Whether that cooperation will produce the votes promised to Tinubu remains to be seen.
For now, the inauguration has sent a significant political message: the race for 2027 is already reshaping alliances in Osun, but the battle for influence within the state’s political establishment is far from settled.
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