OSUN GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION: APC DEFEAT LINKED TO INTERNAL WRANGLING, CANDIDATE CONTROVERSY — FAROUK ALIYU;
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Farouk Aliyu, has attributed the party’s defeat in the Osun State governorship election to internal divisions and dissatisfaction among some party members over the emergence of its candidate, Bola Oyebamiji.
Aliyu, who spoke on ARISE Television’s Morning Show on Monday, said the APC made extensive efforts to secure victory at the poll but was ultimately weakened by internal disagreements within its ranks.
According to him, a significant section of party members became aggrieved following Oyebamiji’s emergence as the APC governorship candidate, with some allegedly choosing not to support the party’s candidate during the election.
“We did everything possible, humanly possible, to win the election,” Aliyu said.
The APC chieftain acknowledged that while some members of the party rallied behind Oyebamiji, others withheld their support because of their dissatisfaction with the process that produced him as the candidate.
He identified the controversy surrounding the party’s candidate as one of the major internal challenges that affected the APC’s electoral performance.
Aliyu’s assessment has consequently renewed calls for the APC to review its internal processes, particularly the manner in which candidates are selected, to ensure that future flagbearers enjoy wider acceptance and stronger support among party members.
Call for Broader Internal Support
The former lawmaker stressed the importance of building consensus within the party before major elections, noting that internal disagreements can have significant consequences when party members fail to unite behind their candidate.
He maintained that lessons from the Osun election should encourage the APC leadership to strengthen its internal democratic mechanisms and ensure that candidates emerging from the party’s processes are able to command broad-based support.
Aliyu Accepts Election Outcome
Commenting on the conduct of the election, Aliyu also commended the Federal Government for the manner in which the electoral process was conducted.
He noted that earlier predictions suggesting that the APC would simply manipulate or “write” the election results did not materialise.
Aliyu accepted the outcome of the election and acknowledged the decision of Osun voters, stressing that the choice made by the electorate should be respected.
The election produced a decisive victory for Governor Ademola Adeleke, who defeated the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji.
Adeleke reportedly polled 511,067 votes, while Oyebamiji secured 444,815 votes.
The development has placed the APC’s internal cohesion and candidate-selection process under renewed scrutiny, with party stakeholders expected to examine the factors that contributed to the outcome.
For Aliyu, the Osun experience offers an important lesson for the party: beyond campaign structures and electoral mobilisation, unity and broad acceptance of candidates remain critical ingredients for securing victory at the polls.
As political activities continue to evolve, the APC is expected to draw from the experience in Osun and strengthen its internal processes ahead of future electoral contests.
