President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has summoned about 76 leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State to the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja as the party moves to resolve internal disagreements ahead of the state’s August 15 governorship election.
The late-night meeting reportedly followed an intelligence report presented to the President by National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, which raised concerns about growing discontent among some APC leaders in Osun.
According to sources who attended the meeting, the report indicated that several party leaders felt sidelined from the affairs of the party, including the ongoing campaign for APC governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji.
Tinubu reportedly urged the leaders to put their differences aside, unite and work together to secure victory for the APC in the election.
76 APC leaders flown to Abuja
The party leaders were reportedly transported to Abuja using chartered flights from Ibadan, Oyo State, while some others, including former Senior Special Assistant to the President on Legislative Matters, Babajide Omoworare, travelled from Lagos.
Among those said to have attended were former Speaker of the House of Representatives Olubunmi Ete, former Osun House of Assembly Speakers Mojeed Alabi, Adejare Bello and Wale Afolabi, as well as Shuaib Oyedokun, Poju Odusola and Bode Olanipekun.
Sources said APC National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, was contacted by the Presidency to coordinate the meeting and bring together party leaders who were said to have been left out of the campaign structure.
One APC chieftain from Boluwaduro Local Government Area said the meeting was convened because of the concerns contained in Ribadu’s report.
According to the source, the NSA warned that continued discontent within the party could undermine the APC’s chances of winning the election.
The source said Tinubu subsequently directed Basiru to organise the affected party leaders and ensure they were brought to Abuja.
Leaders air grievances before Tinubu
A former lawmaker who attended the meeting described it as a frank and open discussion where APC leaders were given an opportunity to tell the President what they believed was happening within the party in Osun.
He said approximately 76 leaders attended.
According to him, some of the leaders complained about what they described as the dominance of the political camp associated with former Osun Governor and current Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola.
The leaders reportedly told Tinubu that many APC members in the state felt excluded from federal appointments and the broader structure of the party.
One of the attendees claimed that the leaders specifically raised concerns that many federal appointments allocated to Osun had gone to members of Oyetola’s IleriOluwa political camp.
The source said the President acknowledged their concerns but warned that internal divisions could ultimately hurt the party.
Tinubu reportedly reminded the leaders that the APC would be the biggest loser if it failed to win the August 15 election.
He also expressed disappointment over the party’s performance in previous elections, including the 2022 Osun governorship election and the 2023 general election.
The President reportedly urged the leaders to focus on securing victory for the party rather than allowing past disagreements to affect the upcoming poll.
Tinubu urges leaders to work for APC victory
According to one of the sources, Tinubu acknowledged that Oyetola had possessed significant resources during his unsuccessful bid for a second term as governor but said the larger issue was the loss suffered by the APC.
The President reportedly told the leaders to move beyond the past and concentrate on winning the forthcoming election.
Another APC chieftain who attended the meeting described it as productive and said the participants were satisfied with the President’s response to their concerns.
The source said some leaders had expressed fears that they could again be sidelined if the APC eventually formed the government in Osun.
However, Tinubu reportedly assured them that there would be opportunities for party members at the federal level.
He urged them to unite and mobilise support for Oyebamiji.
Basiru reportedly coordinated meeting
A source close to APC National Secretary Ajibola Basiru confirmed that he attended the meeting and helped facilitate the gathering.
The source said Basiru was committed to ensuring that all factions and influential leaders in Osun worked together for the party’s success.
He reportedly argued that the APC could not afford to enter an election while important members were nursing grievances.
The source said the objective was to make the election a collective project involving all party leaders and members.
Basiru has also reportedly been actively involved in grassroots mobilisation and campaigns for the APC candidate, popularly known as AMBO.
The meeting was also confirmed by the Director of Media and Publicity of the Osun APC, Kola Olabisi, although he declined to provide further details.
Accord Party accuses APC of harbouring election hackers
Meanwhile, the political tension in Osun has extended to allegations surrounding the security of the electoral process.
The Accord Party accused the APC of allegedly importing and harbouring hackers at a hotel in Osogbo, the state capital.
The allegation was contained in a statement signed by Accord Party state chairman Victor Akande.
Akande alleged that individuals brought in from Lagos and Abuja had established an operational centre at a hotel with the aim of compromising the Independent National Electoral Commission’s electronic systems and manipulating election results.
The party called on security agencies to investigate the allegation and urged INEC to strengthen its digital infrastructure ahead of the election.
It also appealed for increased vigilance against possible cyber threats and any attempt to interfere with the electronic transmission or management of election results.
Osun APC denies hacker allegation
The Osun APC rejected the allegation, describing it as false and baseless.
Party spokesperson Kola Olabisi said the APC had no reason to engage in electoral manipulation because it was confident of winning the election through legitimate means.
He accused the Accord Party of making the allegation out of fear of defeat.
Olabisi challenged the Accord Party to report the matter to the police if it had evidence that the APC was harbouring hackers.
He maintained that the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, could win the election without rigging or compromising the electoral process.
Election draws closer
The developments come less than a week before the August 15 Osun governorship election, with political parties intensifying campaigns and mobilisation across the state.
The meeting between President Tinubu and the APC leaders highlights the importance the party places on resolving internal grievances before the poll.
With accusations now being exchanged between the APC and Accord Party over both internal party unity and alleged attempts to compromise the electoral process, security agencies and INEC face growing pressure to ensure that the election is peaceful, credible and transparent.
