Osun APC Stakeholders Blame Oyetola for Governorship Election Defeat in Letter to Tinubu
- A pressure group within the APC wrote an open letter to President Tinubu on August 18, 2026, after losing the Osun governorship election
- The Osun APC Stakeholders Forum accused Minister Gboyega Oyetola of monopolising federal appointments and candidate selection in the state
- The group published a list of 26 federal appointees it claims Oyetola drew from his hometown and camp, and called for a reconciliation summit
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A group within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has written an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, blaming former Governor Gboyega Oyetola for the party's defeat in the August 15, 2026 governorship election.
The Osun APC Stakeholders Forum, which describes itself as a pressure group committed to the party's interests, addressed the letter to the President at Aso Villa, Abuja, on August 18, 2026.
Source: Twitter
It was signed by Akin Adeyanju as coordinator, alongside a second signatory with the title of secretary.
Oyetola Named as Principal Cause of Defeat
The group said its assessment pointed to Oyetola, who currently serves as the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, as the main reason the party lost. The forum alleged that he filled federal political positions almost entirely with people from his hometown and personal camp, while shutting out party elders and critical stakeholders from the candidate selection process.
The letter listed 26 individuals it claims were appointed to federal roles under Oyetola's influence, covering positions across agencies including the Nigerian Ports Authority, NIMASA, the Federal Housing Authority, the National Population Commission and the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission.
Beyond appointments, the forum also alleged that Oyetola personally selected the governorship and deputy governorship candidates, three senatorial candidates, nine House of Representatives candidates and 26 House of Assembly candidates, without consulting other stakeholders.
"This pattern of exclusion left the party's base disengaged and cost us the support of critical stakeholders and communities across the state's three senatorial districts, contributing directly to our defeat on August 15," the letter read.
Forum Calls on Tinubu to Intervene
The Osun APC Stakeholders Forum asked the President to order an independent review of the state chapter's leadership structure, convene a reconciliation meeting between Oyetola and aggrieved party stakeholders, and ensure future federal appointments from Osun State reflect broader party membership rather than a single camp.
The group also proposed a state congress to reconstitute what it called a genuinely representative Osun APC executive, a stakeholders' reconciliation summit, and a transparent candidate selection process for future elections.
The forum said it believed Tinubu's intervention could reunite the party in Osun State ahead of the next election cycle.
Olajengbesi: Lawyer who stood firmly behind Adeleke's victory
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that when the final results of the Osun governorship election began to favour Governor Ademola Adeleke, one name was repeatedly heard from the campaign's media front: Pelumi Olajengbesi.
The lawyer and Accord Party chieftain emerged as one of the most visible voices defending Adeleke throughout the tense election, issuing near-daily statements, challenging alleged irregularities and urging voters to protect their ballots.
Source: Legit.ng
