The Osun APC Stakeholders Forum, a pressure group within the All Progressives Congress (APC), 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 in Osun State. The letter, dated August 18, 2026, and addressed to the President at Aso Villa, Abuja, 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's assessment pinpointed 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.
Exclusionary Tactics Cost Party Support
"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. The forum argued that this approach alienated the party's grassroots and weakened its electoral prospects.
The group, which describes itself as committed to the party's interests, said the defeat was not a reflection of the APC's appeal in Osun State but a consequence of internal mismanagement and exclusionary practices. It urged the President to take corrective action to prevent further erosion of party support.
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.
In a related development, Legit.ng earlier 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. The forum said it believed Tinubu's intervention could reunite the party in Osun State ahead of the next election cycle.
