A fresh crisis has erupted within the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) after some members of the State Executive Committee rejected the campaign council recently unveiled by the state chairman, Tajudeen Lawal.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The council, headed by the party’s 2026 governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, was established to coordinate the presidential and parliamentary campaigns across the state.

However, in a statement rejecting the arrangement, the state Publicity Secretary, Wole Adunola; Assistant Organising Secretary, Rasheed Adeniji; and an ex-officio member, Abiola Ololade, argued that the list violated party rules and failed to accommodate key officials.

“We, therefore, reject the list in its present form,” they declared.

The officials specifically faulted the exclusion of several members of the State Working Committee, whom they said should automatically have been included in the campaign council.

“The exclusion of the recognised party officials raises serious concerns about consultation, due process, and respect for the party’s established leadership structure,” the statement said.

They also expressed concern that the newly announced council appeared to contradict President Bola Tinubu’s earlier decision to appoint Governor Ademola Adeleke as the head of his campaign in Osun State.

According to the aggrieved officials, Adeleke had already inaugurated a broad-based presidential campaign council on October 22, leaving them questioning the reason for the creation of another body without any clear explanation.

They maintained that the new council would only be justified if it was specifically intended to oversee the parliamentary elections.

“This distinction must be clearly established to avoid confusion, duplication of responsibilities, and unnecessary friction within the party’s campaign structure,” they said.

The officials further insisted that the state executive committee should not be excluded from decisions concerning the formation of a state-wide campaign council.

They stressed the importance of “mutual respect, proper coordination, and the active involvement of legitimate party stakeholders.”

To resolve the disagreement, the group called on the APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, and the state Director-General to organise consultations aimed at harmonising the campaign structure.

Despite their objections, the officials reaffirmed their loyalty to President Tinubu and the party.

“We remain fully committed to the success of our presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the overall interests of the APC,” the statement read.

Lawal had on Monday announced Oyebamiji as the Director-General of the 2027 Presidential and Parliamentary Campaign Committee and named a 58-member Elders’ Council.

He explained that the decision followed the President’s inauguration of the national campaign council in Abuja and Adeleke’s inauguration of the state presidential campaign council.

According to the chairman, the arrangement was designed to strengthen the party’s mobilisation efforts for Tinubu and other APC candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.

Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration has recorded another wave of resignations, with three more appointees stepping down from their positions on Monday.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The latest exits involve the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Ayobami Ojo; the Special Adviser on Budget and Economic Planning, Adegbola Oyeleke; and Sunday Falana, a member of the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC).

In his resignation letter, submitted through the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Musibau Babatunde, Ojo, who hails from Ago-Are in Atisbo Local Government Area, said his resignation would take immediate effect.

Ojo, who was appointed on June 22, 2026, did not disclose the reason for his decision but expressed gratitude to Makinde for the confidence reposed in him and the opportunity to serve.

Oyeleke, a former two-term lawmaker and council chairman, was more explicit about his reasons for leaving.

In a letter dated November 2 and addressed to the governor, he said the working environment had become uncomfortable, making it difficult for him to effectively represent the interests of his constituents.

He nevertheless appreciated Makinde for his leadership and support.

“I remain grateful for the opportunity to have been part of this administration and to have contributed to its laudable achievements,” Oyeleke wrote.

Falana, who hails from Ogbomoso, also resigned from OYSIEC with immediate effect. He described his time on the electoral body as worthwhile but did not give a reason for his departure.

Reacting to the development, Yinka Oladoyinbo, Director-General of Media and Publicity of the Bimbo Adekanmbi Campaign Council, told The Punch that the resignations would not affect the Allied Peoples Movement’s chances in the forthcoming elections.

Oladoyinbo compared politics to football, where players leave and others join during transfer windows.

“Some people would come, some people would go. But the ultimate power resides with the people. It is the people in the majority who will decide who becomes the governor of Oyo State, and we have the majority on our side,” he said.

The latest resignations add to a growing list of departures from Makinde’s administration in recent weeks.

The governor’s Chief of Staff, Segun Ogunwuyi, resigned in October after serving in the position for more than five years. He was followed by the Director-General of the Due Process Office, Tara Adefope. Akinwole Akinwole and Aderonke Adedayo have since been appointed as their replacements.

Other former appointees who have left the administration include the governor’s former Special Adviser on Security, Fatai Owoseni; Babatunde Oduyoye of the state Advisory Council; Funmi Arulogun, Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Matters; Damilare Amusan, Chairman of the College of Agriculture, Igboora; and former lawmaker Peter Oyetunji.

Four other appointees — Joshua Afolabi, Rebecca Agbejimi, Noah Adeyanju and Suleiman Adegbola — also resigned on October 19.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of Ogbomoso North Local Government, Jimoh Idowu, announced his resignation from the APM on Monday, pledging to hand over the party’s records and property.

The wave of departures comes ahead of the December 29, 2026, local government elections across Oyo State’s 33 local government areas. OYSIEC released the final list of candidates for the polls on October 27.

Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman and Christian Nwachukwu are among the Nigerian players expected to take part as the UEFA Champions League league phase continues with matchday four fixtures on Tuesday and Wednesday.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Osimhen is expected to spearhead Galatasaray’s attack when the Turkish champions welcome VfB Stuttgart on Tuesday, with the striker hoping to maintain his impressive scoring form.

The 27-year-old has registered 10 goals in 10 competitive appearances this season, including nine in the Turkish Super Lig and one in the Champions League.

He was also on target in Galatasaray’s 4-0 victory over Konyaspor on Friday, extending the club’s winning streak to four matches. Before that, they had recorded victories over Gençlerbirliği, Lille and Fenerbahçe.

However, Galatasaray will be looking to revive their European campaign after suffering consecutive defeats to Sporting CP and Barcelona. They lost 3-1 to Sporting before falling 4-1 to Barcelona, leaving them 23rd in the standings with three points.

Stuttgart, on the other hand, occupy sixth position with seven points following wins over Viking and Slovan Bratislava, alongside a 1-1 draw against Atlético Madrid.

The German side have conceded only twice in the competition, while Ermedin Demirović leads their attack with four goals.

Elsewhere, Lookman’s Atlético Madrid will welcome Bayern Munich to the Wanda Metropolitano on Tuesday in one of the standout encounters of the round.

Atlético are currently 16th with four points, while Bayern sit 14th with five points.

Diego Simeone’s men head into the fixture in strong form, having won nine of their last 10 matches and remained unbeaten at home this season.

Lookman has recorded two goal contributions in 11 appearances this campaign but is expected to begin the encounter on the bench. Julián Álvarez and Kang-In Lee are tipped to lead Atlético’s attack.

Meanwhile, Nwachukwu’s Sabah will travel to Norway to face Viking on Tuesday.

The hosts have earned just one point from their opening three matches, including a 3-3 draw against Bayern Munich.

Sabah recorded a 2-0 victory over Slavia Prague on matchday two but have since lost their last three European away fixtures.

Nwachukwu, 20, joined the Turkish club from Sheffield United in August.

Another Nigerian expected to feature on Tuesday is Moses Usor, whose LASK side will host Slovan Bratislava.

The Austrian outfit secured their first Champions League victory in their previous outing, defeating Sporting CP 3-2 away from home.

Usor was doubtful ahead of that encounter but featured in LASK’s domestic league match at the weekend and is expected to be available for selection. His compatriot Samuel Adeniran also provides another attacking option for the team.

On Wednesday, attention will shift to the Fortuna Arena, where Slavia Prague will entertain Arsenal.

Nigerians Mubarak Suleiman and Emmanuel Ayaosi have both been included in Slavia Prague’s predicted starting line-up for the encounter.

Slavia are 32nd in the standings with one point after drawing 2-2 with Fenerbahçe in their previous match. The Czech side have also gone 18 European matches without recording a victory.

Arsenal, meanwhile, remain unbeaten in the league phase with seven points and will be aiming to extend their impressive run in the competition.

UEFA Champions League Matchday Four Fixtures

Tuesday, November 3

• 6:45 p.m. – Galatasaray vs VfB Stuttgart
• 6:45 p.m. – Shakhtar Donetsk vs Sporting CP
• 9:00 p.m. – Feyenoord vs Inter Milan
• 9:00 p.m. – Bodø/Glimt vs Lille
• 9:00 p.m. – Atlético Madrid vs Bayern Munich
• 9:00 p.m. – Villarreal vs Paris Saint-Germain
• 9:00 p.m. – Barcelona vs Aston Villa
• 9:00 p.m. – Manchester United vs Roma
• 9:00 p.m. – LASK vs Slovan Bratislava
• 9:00 p.m. – Viking vs Sabah

Wednesday, November 4

• 6:45 p.m. – Fenerbahçe vs Liverpool
• 6:45 p.m. – AEK vs Real Madrid
• 9:00 p.m. – Lens vs Como
• 9:00 p.m. – Borussia Dortmund vs Real Betis
• 9:00 p.m. – RB Leipzig vs Manchester City
• 9:00 p.m. – Porto vs Napoli
• 9:00 p.m. – PSV Eindhoven vs Club Brugge
• 9:00 p.m. – Slavia Prague vs Arsenal