Members of the State Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State have rejected a parallel presidential election campaign list released by the party, asserting that the composition violates established party guidelines and due process.
The controversy emerged on Monday when the APC in Osun State, through a statement signed by the Party Chairman, announced a campaign committee that positions the state’s Governorship candidate as its Director-General. This move followed the inauguration of a separate campaign committee by Governor Ademola Adeleke, who serves as the Presidential Campaign Council Coordinator for the state.
In a joint statement, four members of the State Executive Committee—Wole Adunola, State Publicity Secretary; Adesola Ayangbile, Welfare Officer; Rasheed Adeniji, Assistant Organising Secretary; and Abiola Ololade, Ex-Officio—formally rejected the newly published list. They argued that the structure lacks inclusiveness and fails to reflect the statutory requirements for such an important campaign body.
“Of particular concern is the omission of several members of the State Working Committee who, according to the applicable guidelines, are expected to be statutory members of the council. The exclusion of these recognised party officials raises serious concerns about consultation, due process, and respect for the party’s established leadership structure,” the statement read.
The dissenting members further noted that the new list contradicts an earlier presidential directive that named Governor Adeleke as the coordinator of the State Presidential Campaign Council. They questioned why a different structure had emerged without adequate clarification, noting that Governor Adeleke had already inaugurated a broad-based team to drive the presidential campaign across the state in accordance with that directive.
Additionally, the group demanded clarification regarding the scope of the new committee, arguing that its responsibilities appear to conflate the roles of the Presidential Campaign Council and the Parliamentary Campaign Council. They warned that lumping these distinct functions together could lead to confusion and duplication of efforts within the party’s electoral strategy.
Consequently, the state executives have called on the national leadership, specifically National Secretary Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, to intervene immediately. They urged for a review of the published list and appropriate consultations with relevant stakeholders to ensure proper alignment, prevent internal division, and safeguard the party’s re-election bid in Osun State.
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
