According to Leadership, the deal was reportedly brokered by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, as part of efforts to strengthen the coalition backing President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in Osun State.

Sources familiar with the negotiations disclosed that Adeleke had effectively emerged as the leader of the coalition coordinating Tinubu’s 2027 presidential campaign in the state, despite remaining a member of the Accord Party.

The governor contested the last governorship election under the Accord Party after leaving the crisis-hit Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Adeleke the winner of the August 15, 2026, governorship election, with 511,067 votes.

He defeated the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who secured 444,815 votes, giving Adeleke a winning margin of 66,252 votes across Osun State’s 30 local government areas.

The returning officer, Professor Joshua Ogunwole, announced the results in the early hours of August 16 at the INEC office in Osogbo.

Under the reported agreement, Adeleke is expected to coordinate the coalition’s political activities and receive a larger share of political appointments, particularly at the federal level.

The arrangement is also expected to reshape the APC’s power structure in Osun, which has long been dominated by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy and former governor, Adegboyega Oyetola.

Oyetola, considered a close ally of President Tinubu, has wielded considerable influence over the party’s leadership structure and candidate-selection process in the state.

He was reportedly instrumental in choosing Oyebamiji as the APC’s governorship candidate, alongside his running mate, as well as influencing the selection of the party’s senatorial candidates and other nominees ahead of the 2027 elections.

Other prominent figures involved in the power struggle include APC National Secretary Senator Ajibola Basiru and former deputy governor and ex-national secretary of the party, Senator Iyiola Omisore.

Under the reported terms of the agreement, Adeleke is expected to nominate chairmen for 20 of Osun State’s 30 local government areas, while Oyetola, Omisore and Basiru would share the remaining 10 councils.

The four political leaders are also expected to nominate councillors in the local government areas allocated to their respective camps.

Out-of-Court Settlement of Local Government Dispute

Sources familiar with the negotiations also disclosed that the ongoing legal dispute over control of local government councils in Osun State would be resolved through an out-of-court settlement.

Under the proposed arrangement, the parties would inform the Court of Appeal of their intention to settle the matter amicably and request time to agree on the terms of settlement.

The agreed terms would subsequently be presented to the court for adoption as its judgment.

A source explained, “The two parties are to inform the court that the issues will be resolved amicably, and the court is expected to give them time to meet and return with the terms of settlement, which will be the judgment of the court when eventually adopted.”

The source further revealed that the camps loyal to Omisore and Basiru had welcomed the agreement, while Oyetola’s group was reportedly dissatisfied with the new arrangement.

According to the source, the deal represents a significant shift from the previous power structure, under which Oyetola’s camp allegedly controlled most of the party’s leadership positions and nominations for federal appointments.

“You know, the Oyetola group was having everything before? The group was in charge of the party’s leadership; it was also solely responsible for nominating people for federal appointments and other positions. Now, things are changing,” the source said.

The source added that the agreement would give the Basiru and Omisore camps a share of political appointments and influence they previously lacked, while reducing Oyetola’s dominance.

“For the Basiru and the Omisore groups, it is a welcome development. Both camps are coming from zero allocation to something, while the Oyetola camp is coming from 100 per cent allocation to less than 20 per cent now,” the source added.

The reported agreement signals a potential realignment of political interests in Osun State as the parties prepare for the 2027 general elections.