Osun APC Crisis Deepens: Stakeholders Petition Tinubu, Blame Minister Oyetola For ‘August 15’ Electoral Defeat
OSOGBO, NIGERIA — The internal crisis rocking the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken a dramatic turn following a fiercely worded open letter sent to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by a prominent pressure group within the party.
Operating under the aegis of the Osun APC Stakeholders Forum, the group has openly blamed the immediate past governor of the state and current Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, for the party’s defeat in the recently concluded August 15, 2026, gubernatorial election.
In the petition, signed by Professor Akin Adeyanju and Honourable Sola Ajayi, the stakeholders alleged that a “pattern of exclusion” and nepotism orchestrated by the Minister alienated the party’s grassroots base and key stakeholders, directly costing the APC the state’s highest office.
Allegations of Nepotism and ‘Cornered’ Appointments
The core of the stakeholders’ grievance centers on the distribution of federal political appointments and the selection of party candidates.
The forum accused Minister Oyetola of single-handedly handpicking allies, kinsmen, and cronies from his hometown and immediate camp for juicy federal slots, to the detriment of other loyal party members across the state’s three senatorial districts.
To back their claims, the group published a detailed list of 26 key federal appointments alleged to have been monopolized by Oyetola’s faction.
Notable names on the list include:
Alh. Gboyega Oyetola (Minister of Marine and Blue Economy)
Mr. Bola Oyebamiji (MD, NIWA and APC Governorship Candidate)
Engr. Benjamin Adereti (Deputy Governorship Candidate)
Top executives and board chairs across strategic federal agencies, including NIMASA, NPA, the Federal Character Commission, and the Southwest Development Commission (SWDC).
Furthermore, the group stated that Oyetola bypassed the advice of party elders by single-handedly nominating all 40 elective candidates in the state, including the governorship slot, 3 senatorial tickets, 9 House of Representatives seats, and 26 House of Assembly positions.
‘The Party Base Was Disengaged’
“We respectfully submit that the principal reason for our defeat was the conduct of the immediate past governor,” the letter reads.
“We believe this pattern of exclusion left the party’s base disengaged and cost us the support of critical stakeholders and communities… contributing directly to our defeat on August 15.”
The stakeholders warned that the party’s long-term survival in Osun State hangs in the balance unless President Tinubu steps in to rescue the chapter from absolute collapse.
Demands and Way Forward
To salvage the party ahead of future election cycles, the Osun APC Stakeholders Forum urged President Tinubu to immediately intervene by enforcing the following measures:
Independent Review: Direct an immediate, independent audit of the state chapter’s leadership structure and candidate-selection processes.
National Reconciliation Meeting: Convene an emergency reconciliation summit under the supervision of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) to bring Minister Oyetola, party elders, and aggrieved factions to the table.
Fair Appointments: Restore equity in future federal appointments, ensuring representation reflects the true geographical and structural breadth of the state’s membership.
Fresh Congress: Convene a fresh state congress to reconstitute a genuinely representative Osun APC executive body.
At the time of filing this report, neither Minister Gboyega Oyetola nor the leadership of the Osun State APC faction loyal to him has issued an official response to the heavy allegations raised in the letter.
