BY AHMED AKANBI
Some members of Osun State Working Committee of All Progressives Congress (APC) have rejected newly released Presidential Campaign Council list in state, deepening rift in party’s chapter.
In statement jointly signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Wole Adunola, Welfare Officer, Deaconess Adesola Ayangbile; Assistant Organising Secretary, Rasheed Adeniji; and Ex-Officio member, Abiola Ololade, the officials said: “We, therefore, reject the list in its present form.”
They expressed strong dissatisfaction with composition, saying it does not reflect party guidelines, due process and inclusiveness required for such important campaign structure.
The list is 168-member presidential and parliamentary campaign council unveiled Monday by State Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, headed by governorship candidate Bola Oyebamiji as Director General, with Lawal as deputy.
Officials were particularly concerned about omission of several State Working Committee members who, by guidelines, are expected to be statutory members of council.
According to them, exclusion raises serious concerns about consultation, due process and respect for party’s established leadership structure.
The signatories said list appears inconsistent with earlier presidential directive reportedly naming Governor Ademola Adeleke as Director-General of Presidential Campaign Council in Osun.
They noted Adeleke promptly inaugurated broad-based 344-member team on October 22 in Osogbo, event attended by APC National Secretary, Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, while Lawal and Oyebamiji were absent.
”If newly released list is intended to serve as Parliamentary Campaign Council rather than Presidential Campaign Council, its composition would be more understandable,” they said, warning distinction must be clarified to avoid confusion and friction.
They called for immediate review with consultations involving Basiru and State Director-General to ensure alignment, insisting they remain loyal to APC and President Bola Tinubu.
”Our position is clear: we need a campaign council that respects party structures, recognises legitimate leadership, accommodates critical stakeholders, and unites all members towards electoral victory,” they added.