Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun and Anambra states are reportedly uneasy over President Bola Tinubu’s growing rapport with their state governors, Sunday PUNCH has gathered.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Party insiders argue that Tinubu’s public association with Governors Ademola Adeleke (Osun) and Chukwuma Soludo (Anambra), both from opposition parties, could undermine the APC’s prospects in the forthcoming governorship elections in those states.

In Osun, loyalists of former governor and current Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, are particularly displeased with Governor Adeleke’s recent visit to President Tinubu at his Lagos residence.

The visit on June 3 included Adeleke’s brother, billionaire businessman Dr. Deji Adeleke, and his nephew, Afrobeat artist David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido. This followed a previous courtesy call on May 20 by the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, who met with Adeleke after delivering a lecture at Osun State University.

These high-profile visits have fueled speculation about Adeleke’s potential defection to the APC, amid a wave of defections by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors to the ruling party.

The meetings also sparked intense debate across social media. Some of Adeleke’s staunch supporters, previously critical of Tinubu and the APC, began to justify the governor’s growing alignment with the ruling party.

Reacting strongly, APC members loyal to Oyetola voiced their disapproval. At a press conference led by former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Timothy Owoeye, the party’s leadership rejected any attempt by Adeleke to join their ranks, insisting that the APC governorship ticket is “not for sale.”

They described Adeleke’s outreach as a desperate move driven by fear of electoral defeat.

“If not for the fear of the unknown that is haunting the Adeleke family and the PDP, they wouldn’t be considering the APC,” Owoeye asserted.

Similarly, Osun APC spokesperson Kola Olabisi claimed Adeleke lacked confidence in winning reelection under the PDP, hence his overtures to the ruling party. He maintained that the political dynamics that favored Adeleke in the 2022 election no longer exist.

“We’re not surprised by his visit to Tinubu or his meeting with Chief Bisi Akande. He previously said he wanted nothing to do with the APC. So why is he now aligning with our national leaders?” Olabisi asked.

According to him, Adeleke’s overtures to the APC are part of a strategy to hijack the party’s platform to secure reelection. “The coast isn’t clear for him. He’s hitting brick walls, but we know what’s happening behind the scenes—even if we can’t share everything yet,” he added.

However, the Osun PDP, through its spokesperson Oladele Bamiji, dismissed the APC’s concerns as naive and arrogant. He accused them of acting as though Tinubu belongs solely to their party, forgetting that as President, Tinubu is obligated to engage with leaders across party lines in the interest of national unity and governance.