–Party faults short notice, insists on proper protocol despite backing Adeleke’s appointment
By John Dike
The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed displeasure over the short notice for the inauguration of the state Presidential Campaign Committee for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, insisting that it was not formally consulted on the exercise.
The party said the announcement of the committee’s inauguration, scheduled for Thursday, October 22, came less than 24 hours after the names of its members were reportedly circulated on social media by Governor Ademola Adeleke’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed.
In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by its chairman, Sooko Tajudeen Lawal, the Osun APC said the manner in which the committee’s composition and inauguration were announced had raised concerns among its leaders, members and supporters.
The party, however, reaffirmed its commitment to Tinubu’s re-election bid ahead of the 2027 presidential election, describing the campaign as a collective responsibility that required proper planning, consultation and coordination.
According to the statement, the re-election of the President under the APC, which it described as the largest political party in sub-Saharan Africa, should be approached with the seriousness and official protocol it deserved.
The party argued that the process should not be handled with informality, stressing that adequate consultation was necessary to ensure a smooth and successful campaign.
It said, “We are reiterating the fact that we did not have the knowledge of any inauguration beyond the social media listing of some names yesterday afternoon by the spokesman of Governor Adeleke, Malam Olawale Rasheed.”
The APC expressed concern that the circulation of the names less than 24 hours before the inauguration, without prior consultation with the party’s state leadership, had left many stakeholders with insufficient time to prepare for the event.
It further alleged that the arrangement could create unnecessary friction between the party and Adeleke, who has been appointed as the state coordinator of Tinubu’s re-election campaign.
The party said it would do everything possible to prevent avoidable misunderstandings, warning that the process should not create divisions capable of undermining the collective objective of securing victory for the President.
Despite its reservations, the Osun APC maintained that it was not opposed to making concessions or working with other political interests to ensure Tinubu’s success at the polls.
The party also acknowledged that Adeleke’s appointment as the state coordinator could improve the President’s electoral prospects through the joint efforts and contributions of the political parties involved.
It nevertheless insisted that activities relating to the campaign should be properly communicated and coordinated, with due consideration for the APC’s leadership and grassroots structures in Osun.
The statement stressed that the party’s concerns were not intended to undermine Tinubu’s re-election bid but to ensure that the campaign was organised in a manner capable of delivering the desired results.
The development comes amid political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, with Adeleke’s appointment to coordinate Tinubu’s campaign in Osun raising questions about how the participating political interests will work together to achieve their common electoral objective.
