The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has unveiled a 168-member presidential and parliamentary campaign council to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, in a move that raises fresh questions about the party’s internal unity following the controversy surrounding Governor Ademola Adeleke’s appointment as coordinator of the Tinubu Presidential Campaign Council in the state.
Latest: 2027 presidential election: candidates, running mates and campaign updates (live tracker)
The announcement comes amid disagreements over the composition and control of the campaign structure, with the state APC leadership previously complaining that it was not consulted before Adeleke inaugurated the presidential campaign council on October 22, 2026.
Key Highlights
- Osun APC unveils a 168-member campaign council ahead of the 2027 general elections.
- Bola Oyebamiji, the party’s governorship candidate, will serve as Director-General.
- State APC chairman Tajudeen Lawal is named Deputy Director-General.
- Governor Ademola Adeleke’s role as coordinator of Tinubu’s presidential campaign council has generated controversy.
- Adeleke has pledged to support Tinubu’s re-election but ruled out backing APC candidates contesting legislative seats.
- Former governor Adegboyega Oyetola and other prominent party figures were absent from the October 22 inauguration.
Osun APC Sets Up Separate 168-Man Campaign Council
In a statement signed by the Osun APC chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, and obtained in Osogbo on Monday, the party said the campaign council was established to strengthen its chances in the 2027 elections.
Lawal said the party carefully selected its leaders and members to ensure victory for Tinubu and APC candidates contesting National and State Assembly seats.
The party’s governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, will serve as Director-General of the council, while Lawal will occupy the position of Deputy Director-General.
Oyebamiji’s running mate, Benjamin Adereti, and Kehinde Olamolu were appointed Assistant Director-General I and II, respectively.
The three APC senatorial candidates and nine House of Representatives candidates were also listed as members.
Other prominent members include former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Foluke Etteh; former deputy governors Adeleke Adewoyin, Iyiola Omisore, Titi Laoye-Ponnle and Adegboyega Alabi; retired General Alani Akinrinade; Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode; and APC spokesperson, Kola Olabisi.
Adeleke’s Appointment Sparks Questions Over APC Campaign Leadership
The emergence of the 168-member council comes after Governor Ademola Adeleke inaugurated the APC Presidential Campaign Council in Osun State on October 22, 2026.
Adeleke was named coordinator of the Tinubu Presidential Campaign Council, a development that generated controversy among political stakeholders in the state, particularly over the relationship between the governor and the APC’s existing leadership structure.
Those present at the inauguration included APC National Secretary Ajibola Basiru, former governor Bisi Akande, and former deputy governors Iyiola Omisore and Titi Laoye-Ponnle.
However, former governor and Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola; APC governorship candidate Bola Oyebamiji; state chairman Tajudeen Lawal; and other prominent party figures were absent.
The absence of these key figures raised questions about the level of consultation and cooperation within the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
In a statement issued the following day, Lawal complained that the APC leadership in Osun had not been consulted in the composition of the campaign council.
The latest unveiling of a separate 168-member structure, with Oyebamiji and Lawal occupying its top positions, adds another dimension to the debate over who will drive the party’s campaign machinery in the state.
Read also:
- Tinubu’s 2027 Campaign Council: Wike, Soludo, Adeleke Appointments Spark APC Backlash
- Osun LG Crisis: Reactions Trail Tinubu-Adeleke Peace Talks, Questions Raised Over ₦200bn Funds
- Tinubu Support Group Hails Adeleke, Soludo, Wike For Backing President’s Re-Election Bid
Adeleke Draws the Line Between Tinubu and APC Candidates
Speaking during the October 22 inauguration, Adeleke said he would work for President Tinubu’s re-election but ruled out any agreement to support APC candidates contesting legislative seats in Osun.
His position has added to the political uncertainty surrounding the campaign arrangement, as the APC seeks to mobilise support not only for Tinubu but also for its National and State Assembly candidates.
The distinction between support for the President and support for other APC candidates could become a major issue as the party intensifies its mobilisation ahead of the elections.
Osun APC Leaders Target 1.5 Million Votes for Tinubu
Meanwhile, political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections have continued to gather momentum in Osun State, with party leaders and support groups developing strategies to attract voters.
Former governor Oyetola has called for unity among political interests in the state, expressing confidence that Tinubu could secure 1.5 million votes in Osun.
He urged APC members to strengthen grassroots mobilisation and work collectively towards securing maximum votes for the party’s candidates.
However, with disagreements over campaign leadership and the relationship between Adeleke’s presidential campaign role and the APC’s state structure, the party faces the challenge of presenting a united front before the electorate.
The effectiveness of the newly unveiled 168-member council may therefore depend not only on its mobilisation capacity but also on whether the party’s influential stakeholders can resolve their differences ahead of the 2027 polls.
For more political news, follow us on X.
