2026: Aregbesola, Oyetola rekindle rivalry in Osun APC2026: Aregbesola, Oyetola rekindle rivalry in Osun APC
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State tussle between two leaders of the party, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola has been in a perpetual struggle for its control.
The crisis began after Oyetola failed in his bid to secure a second term in office following his defeat by Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the July 16, 2022 governorship election.
Oyetola, now Minister for Marine and Blue Economy, had fought so hard in court to nullify Adeleke’s victory but he was not lucky as the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Adeleke.
Ever since Oyetola’s disaffection for his predecessor has grown stronger as the Minister accused Aregbesola of spearheading his downfall at the poll by allegedly engaging in anti-party activities and instigating some party members in his camp to vote against him.
But those in Aregbesola’s camp had also raised the alarm over perceived marginalisation as soon as Oyetola became the governor and leader of the party. They argued that Oyetola, in his bid to have full control of the party as well as the government, dismantled the party structure put in place by Aregbesola and planted his men at the helm of the party, relegating them to the background.
They claimed that Oyetola sidelined loyalists of Aregbesola from his government and only worked with a few who turned their back on the former minister. Aregbesola’s loyalists concluded that Oyetola’s wrong actions while in office cost him his second-term aspiration and not their leader.
After Oyetola lost, those in the defunct The Osun Progressives (TOP) amplified their clamour for restructuring of the party to prevent it from losing again in future elections. This call, they argued, has been shunned to date by Oyetola and his team.
After Aregbesola finished serving his four-year tenure as Minister under the immediate past administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, he returned to Osun and also advocated for restructuring of the party. Aregbesola had to tender a public apology to Oyetola and other party faithful who felt aggrieved to give reconciliation and restructuring a chance.
But in a twist, a few weeks after Aregbesola’s homecoming, the party leadership loyal to Oyetola announced the expulsion of 84 members who belonged to Aregbesola’s camp for alleged anti-party activities and disintegrating the party. Days later, an additional 26 chieftains, also loyalists of Aregbesola, were suspended by the Osun APC chapter.
