Politics
Osun goes to PDP’s Adeleke | By Muideen Alatede
With the margin of victory, the incumbent Governor Adegboyega Oyetola would probably still have lost if he had reconciled with former Governor Rauf Aregbesola.
Adeleke’s strategy of engagement was better than the last election and he was clearly one step ahead of the game.
Aregbesola would feel he has exacted revenge. He is entitled to that feeling given the way anything or anybody attached to his name was treated by Oyetola. It’s a bitter-sweet outcome for the Osun Progressives (TOP) group. They are out of the game completely for now but they can hang on to the satisfaction that Oyetola will no longer spit in their faces.
Could Bola Tinubu have done a lot better to mend fences? Oh yes but he fell short. While the defeat is bad and dangerous to his ambition to be president, he has 7 months to right many wrongs in the party structure of his party in his ancestral state. There is a lesson in humility and give-and-take. In politics, with a view to winning elections, winners in a party should not take all. The disgruntled are always out to sting.
For the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), it’s a sort of impetus and feel-good factor after the scalding defeat in Ekiti State where they also suffered from a disunited house. The battle for the South-west is on. It is be foolhardy to wave away the threats the party and Atiku may pose. It’s 4-2 now. The old Oyo State is cast in the hand of the PDP.
To start dissecting what went wrong in a comprehensive way will be left to more inclined political analysts but I have to say that the PORTABLE factor was in very bad taste. It certainly cost the All Progressives Congress (APC) votes of decent neutrals. Everything about engaging him to perform, apart from the crowd catching glimpses of him, was wrong. And him mounting the statute of Obafemi Awolowo with his trousers pull down is disgraceful. His viral video afterwards cursing and ranting did no good at all. Comparing his cameo with Davido’s dignified appearance on the other side is like comparing a prince to a tramp.
While the battle for the south-west is certainly on, will the result have a big impact on the presidential contest? It’s reasonable to think so even though Osun is just one of 37 territories the election will take place. If it is to be a straight battle between Tinubu and Atiku, I will be overly concerned. Peter Obi gaining momentum in Atiku’s traditional fortresses will take a huge hit. It will be interesting to see how events unfold in the next few months.
Oyo APC is as fragmented as the Osun APC. While it’s better that the most of the aggrieved have not stayed back in the party to cause sabotage, the chunks that have left are significant. 7 months is a long time in politics though.
I congratulate Governor-elect, Adeleke Nurudeen Jackson Ademola. He has done well to reinvent himself after a certificate scandal and his hard work has paid off. Dancing, when we leave out politics, is actually a trait of happiness. May the people of Osun find happiness in his administration.
To my PDP friends, enjoy the victory.
Muideen Alatede, a lawyer and politician writes from Ibadan, Oyo state
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has called on Governor Seyi Makinde to resign immediately, alleging that his recent remarks on state security exposed incompetence and an inability to lead.
Governor Makinde, speaking during his acceptance speech as the Presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Ibadan on Saturday, lamented that he could do little to rescue abducted school children and residents in Oriire Local Government Area due to all security structures being under federal control.
Reacting, APC State Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, described the governor’s comments as “the height of cluelessness, insincerity, and criminal ineptitude,” warning that such disclosures reflect a dangerous trend among parochial leaders.
Sadare said, “Engr. Seyi Makinde could not find any fault in the nation’s Constitution, yet he swore twice to protect lives and properties of Oyo people. He has long enjoyed the powers of his office, controlling resources and people without challenge, but now faces a serious test, exposing incompetence, cluelessness, and ego.”
He added, “Instead of addressing security challenges, Makinde is exploiting the situation to push a mirage he calls a presidential ambition in 2027. His insensitive comments once again reveal hypocrisy. It is time he quit the office of the governor, having admitted he lacks the capacity to secure the state.”
The APC also recalled that previous governors, including Alhaji Lam Adesina, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, and the late Sen. Abiola Ajimobi, operated under the same constitutional provisions without similar security failures. Sadare particularly praised Ajimobi for establishing a Security Trust Fund to ensure funding and stakeholder involvement in security, in contrast to the current administration.
“Makinde’s presidential ambition is dead on arrival. Our concern is the continued loss, deprivation, and mismanagement the people of Oyo may suffer in the remaining year of his tenure. The state deserves a team player, a sincere and humble governor — qualities Makinde has failed to demonstrate in seven years. He should apologise and step down,” Sadare concluded.
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Saturday emerged as the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) for the 2027 general election following the conclusion of the party’s presidential nomination process.
Makinde emerged through consensus and affirmation by party delegates during the exercise, in what party leaders described as a demonstration of unity and confidence in his leadership ahead of the next general elections.
The governor was presented with his Certificate of Return by the National Chairman of the APM, Alhaji Yusuf Dantali, during a ceremony held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, amid cheers from party faithful, delegates and supporters drawn from different parts of the country.
Speaking during the presentation, Dantali said Makinde possesses the leadership qualities, administrative experience and vision required to steer the country towards sustainable growth and national development.
He urged party members across the federation to close ranks and intensify grassroots mobilisation to ensure victory for the party in the 2027 presidential election.
The APM national chairman maintained that the party remained committed to presenting Nigerians with what he described as a credible alternative capable of addressing the country’s economic, security and governance challenges.
According to him, the emergence of Makinde as the party’s flag bearer marked the beginning of a new political movement aimed at restoring hope and strengthening democratic governance in the country.
In his acceptance speech, Governor Makinde expressed appreciation to the leadership of the party and delegates for the confidence reposed in him, pledging to work with stakeholders across political, ethnic and religious divides to advance the party’s vision for national transformation.
The governor assured party supporters of his commitment to inclusive leadership, promising to prioritise policies that would improve economic prosperity, strengthen institutions and enhance the welfare of Nigerians if elected.
Five key members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State have been appointed to the party’s campaign committee for the 2026 governorship re-election of Governor Abiodun Oyebanji in Ekiti State.
The Oyo APC leaders on the list include the party’s governorship candidate, Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli, former Senate leader Teslim Folarin, Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, Zacch Adedeji, and Remi Oseni.
The list, signed by the party’s National Secretary, Sen. Ajibola Basiru, reflects the APC’s strategy of deploying experienced political figures with strong grassroots networks to ensure a successful re-election campaign in Ekiti.
“These appointments recognise their political experience and commitment to advancing the party’s agenda,” the source within the party said.
The APC committee is expected to coordinate campaign activities, voter engagement, and messaging, positioning the party for a strong showing in the 2026 governorship election.
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