How will Osun APC cope with its infighting

By Great Oluwaseun

Sources within Osun All Progressives Congress (APC) revealed that it seems the party has not learnt from the mistake that resulted to its 2022 defeat adding that the internal crisis in Osun APC after the Ilerioluwa and TOP saga might be child’s play when the looming crisis manifests.

The Yoruba Adage that says “ija omo iya meji so’ro dasi which by interpretation means “the fight between two siblings is difficult to interfere with “might be true, but there is a need to try and draw predictions on the state of the major opposition party in the state.

Osun Spring reports that the current infight in the opposition party started exactly the same way the Omoluabi Progressive (TOP) and Ilerioluwa fight began, a cold war. Where a conflict of personal interest and legacy overruled the people’s interest. The end result of that fight is what Oyetola loyalists believed sent their boss out of the Bola Ige White House. That claim is still subjected to fact-checking, though.

Inside sources revealed that it was believed that the internal crisis in the party was only between Oyetola and Aregbesola. However, the last few weeks have shown that the issue is far from being resolved despite the party leaders’ tour across the state an objective aimed at promoting the endorsement of the sole candidacy of their last ticket holder, Gboyega Oyetola.

It was learnt that this tour brought to the media space the deepened crisis within the party, the fight of gladiators fighting for the gubernatorial ticket of the party.

A source said “The current crisis in the party was birthed through clashing differences between Ogbeni and Oyetola. The fight brought about two factions Ilerioluwa faction and TOP faction within the party. The faction belonging to Oyetola discarded the Aregbesola faction, but they later admitted that Aregbesola’s group worked against the party. Nevertheless, the current infighting within the party is not an “external internal” crisis and more of an “internal internal” crisis. Ilerioluwa faction now has about 3 leaders in their faction, and they are all interested in getting the ticket of the party in the 2026 gubernatorial election in Osun State.

“Before now, the Osogbo Agenda has been running in the minds of Osogbo people and the city has decided to take advantage of the APC crisis by pushing out 2 of their sons, Ajibola Basiru and Tunde Badmus, the son of Asiwaju of Yorubaland through the birth of “Otoge group”, a group strongly against Oyetola’s 2nd term ambition. The twist of this agenda is that Badmus has publicly disassociated himself from the group and pledged his determined loyalty to Oyetola. Up till when this feature is being written, Basiru, on the other hand, hasn’t said anything about his ambition, the smart politician he is.

“Badmus could have pledged his loyalty to Oyetola out of the belief that age won’t be to Oyetola’s advantage by 2026, and he could be considered as Oyetola’s anointed candidate for the ticket fight. However, this might not go as expected for him as Oyetola is rumored to have picked an anointed candidate, his Commissioner for Finance, Bola Oyebamiji of Ikire. Notwithstanding, Badmus has an advantage over Oyebamiji because his father, the Asiwaju Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo, and Delta, Dr Khamis Olatunde Badmus, influence will stand him out.

“Basiru, who’s another Osogbo preferred candidate, is more politically rooted in his party and has been wielding so much influence and relevance for his political career with his National Secretary office. In addition to these big personalities of the APC, Otunba Iyiola Omisore should not be left out of the forces interested in the party ticket. Having contributed to the first-term victory of Oyetola, he might expect Oyetola to return the favour to him now.”

Recall that a couple of weeks ago, Ajibola Basiru paid a courtesy visit to the State Working Committee at the Party Secretariat, but surprisingly, the release from his media team and the Director of Media Osun APC contradict themselves.

Basiru’s release noted that he told them not to allow Naysayers and fifth columnists to infiltrate their ranks to cause disharmony among them without talking about his relationship with the Minister from the state nor talked about his rumoured governorship ambition contrary to the statement from Kola Olabisi.

In the known, Ilerioluwa APC has 3 leaders within their faction, namely Gboyega Oyetola, Iyiola Omisore, and Ajibola Basiru with Oyebamiji and Badmus whose ambition is yet to be known.

However, sources revealed that Oyetola’s dream of installing one of his political sons will hit a brick wall and could wear out the party structure in the state.

“It’s on this note that I advise the main opposition party to kindly drop the early politicking and focus more on constructive criticism of the government, which will bring about more transformative results in the state”, the source added.