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By Tope Odediran
The battle for the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Osun governorship election in 2026 is taking an unexpected turn as a group within the party, IGBA-OTUN, have vowed to resist attempt to impose a former governor in the state, Gboyega Oyetola, as the candidate of the party.
The group, it was learnt, are already mobilizing members across the state against the choice of Oyetola as the APC flag bearer in the 2026 poll, which they argued lacks the political weight to defeat the incumbent, Ademola Adeleke, at the poll.
Gboyega Oyetola lost his re-election bid to Adeleke in the 2022 poll and there are strong indications that he is interested in the governorship seat when it is open for contest in 2026.
Kazeem (not real name) said IGBA-OTUN desire for the APC to return to power in 2026 but could not see Oyetola taking the party to victory. He listed about six issues that stand against the former governor chance of defeating Adeleke at the poll, noting that the best shot the APC have to reclaim power in Osun is the National Secretary of the party, Ajibola Basiru.
One of the issues against Oyetola, according to Kazeem, is the unconstitutionality that giving Oyetola automatic ticket posed, saying that those behind the plot are not interested in the party winning the state.
Beside this, he said the record of Oyetola in office is not rousing to drive support for the party, pointing out that the APC lost Osun to the woeful performance of Oyetola.
“It is only those who are not serious about APC winning that will consider Oyetola (Gboyega) as the flag bearer for 2026 because he stand no chance at all against the Governor (Adeleke),” he noted.
“We all know why Osun people rejected us in the last election and it would be unwise to think that same man would win Osun back for us. In fact, our opposition will be waiting for us to make that mistake.”
Beyond these issues, is the voting size of Iragbiji, which Kazeem said is too low to match the voting strength of Ede where Adeleke came from, point out that the most ideal place for the APC candidate to come to stand any chance against Adeleke in 2026 is Osogbo.
“If the past has shown us anything, it is that the APC candidate in 2026 must come from a strong voting base, which leaves Oyetola out of the calculation. Osogbo presents a strong voting base that could counter Ede votes, and the only choice I’m seeing here is Ajibola Basiru,” he stressed.
Kazeem added that Oyetola chance in the 2026 poll is blighted by Adeleke performance in office as most of the things he failed to do while in office is what the incumbent governor is doing, saying it will make it so hard to convince the people to drop Adeleke for him at the poll.
“You too look around, most of the things that Oyetola said was impossible while he was Governor is what Adeleke is doing now. So, how will you now convince voters to reject such man for Oyetola who couldn’t do most of what he is doing?,” he said.
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