Osun guber: Crisis in APC as chieftain blames ex-gov for defeat

By Philippine Duru

philippineobetoduru@gmail.com

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A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and political commentator on X, Alubarika, has criticised former Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, accusing him of a series of political decisions that, according to him, significantly contributed to internal crises that weakened the party in the state.

In a post on his verified X handle (formerly Twitter), Alubarika said it was important to confront what he described as an uncomfortable aspect of the APC’s political history in Osun, rather than continue to portray Oyetola’s tenure as politically successful solely on the basis of his continued prominence within the party.

He argued that Oyetola’s political challenges began even before he fully assumed control of the APC structure in the state, particularly following the deterioration of relations between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola.

According to him, Oyetola, who benefited politically from the alliance between the two influential figures, ought to have acted as a bridge between them rather than allowing their differences to escalate.

Alubarika said the breakdown of the Tinubu–Aregbesola relationship ultimately became a key factor that complicated the APC’s political structure in Osun.

He also cited the handling of salary arrears inherited from the Aregbesola administration as one of Oyetola’s major political missteps.

While acknowledging that Oyetola’s position of not taking responsibility for debts incurred by his predecessor may have been administratively defensible, he argued that it was politically costly, as civil servants were primarily concerned with the payment of outstanding entitlements.

“Government is a continuum,” Alubarika stated, stressing that successive administrations inherit both the responsibilities and obligations of the state.

He noted that the unresolved salary arrears generated significant resentment among workers and became a political liability that opponents of the APC were able to exploit.

Alubarika contrasted Oyetola’s approach with that of Governor Ademola Adeleke, who, according to him, cleared the outstanding arrears and leveraged the issue to strengthen his political support among workers and other stakeholders.

The commentator also addressed the controversy surrounding the possibility of Adeleke joining the APC.

He claimed that former Osun State Deputy Governor, Iyiola Omisore, was among those who strongly opposed Adeleke’s entry into the APC at the state level, while Oyetola allegedly supported the broader resistance to his admission.

Alubarika argued that the opposition was largely driven by concerns over the political implications of Adeleke joining the APC, particularly the possibility of him emerging as the party’s governorship candidate.

He maintained that both Oyetola and Omisore had political interests to protect, suggesting that their positions were shaped by strategic calculations.

However, he said the strategy ultimately did not yield the intended outcome.

Alubarika further claimed that Oyetola was eventually advised to step aside amid concerns over his electoral viability, while Omisore was also excluded from the contest.

According to him, these developments created a political vacuum that eventually led to the emergence of Bola Oyebamiji as the APC governorship candidate, describing him as the “unfortunate beneficiary” of a difficult political environment he did not create.

He argued that Oyebamiji was subsequently left to manage the political consequences of the party’s earlier internal disputes, including unresolved grievances over workers’ salaries and divisions among party leaders.

Alubarika further contended that internal rivalries and competing ambitions within the APC distracted the party from building a cohesive structure capable of effectively challenging Adeleke.

He added that Adeleke’s eventual defection to the Accord Party underscored the consequences of disagreements surrounding his proposed entry into the APC.

According to him, the situation should serve as a lesson to political parties that electoral structures alone are insufficient for victory without strong leadership cohesion, grassroots engagement, and internal unity.

He rejected what he described as attempts to revise the political history of Osun by portraying Oyetola’s strategy as flawless.

“It was not. It failed. And the APC paid heavily for those failures,” he stated.

He maintained that no political actor can afford to alienate key allies, neglect grassroots mobilisation, or allow personal ambitions to override collective party interests while still expecting electoral success.

“Party structure can win elections, but it cannot indefinitely compensate for poor political judgment,” Alubarika said.

Meanwhile, the commentator disclosed that his WhatsApp inbox had been flooded with messages from individuals, including respected associates, questioning whether Omisore should continue to support the APC following what they described as his alleged unjust exclusion from the political process.

According to him, the issue centres on whether Omisore, as a former deputy governor who was removed from contention under disputed circumstances, should remain aligned with the same political establishment.

The comments have further intensified debate within Osun’s political space over loyalty, ambition, internal party democracy, and the extent to which political actors should subordinate personal grievances to party interests.

The controversy comes amid ongoing political realignments ahead of the next Osun governorship election, as parties and stakeholders intensify efforts to consolidate their structures and strengthen alliances.

Alubarika’s intervention has therefore added another dimension to the discourse on the APC’s past political decisions in Osun, particularly the roles of its key leaders and the long-term impact of internal disagreements on the state’s political landscape.