- Poor Structure Has Reduced APC’s Influence — Aregbesola’s Camp
- Good Riddance To Rudderless Political Vagabonds– APC
By Kolawole Ojebisi
Ahead of the 2026 governorship elections in Osun State, loyalists of the ex-governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, under the aegis of “Omoluabi Progressives”, have announced their defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
The political group which made the announcement over the weekend cited ostracisation, and suspension, of some of its leaders without fair hearing from the APC for its decision.
Other reasons attributed to their quitting the party were continuous denigration of the party structure, and mismanagement of Osun APC’s intra-party crisis, which led to the party’s abysmal loss in the last election cycle, a development that has reduced its strength and popularity among the people of Osun.
The Organising and Publicity Secretary, Omoluabi Progressives, Oluwaseun Abosede made this known in a statement issued on Sunday.
”The decision was taken after the group ratified an earlier resolution of members from the 332 wards across Osun State at its monthly meeting held in Ilesa on Sunday.”
“The members were put to a voice vote by the leadership of the fold where they affirmed their readiness to switch allegiance to another political camp ahead of the 2026 governorship election in the state,” Abosede’s statement read in parts.”
The statement however quoted the immediate past Minister of Interior, Aregbesola to have commended them for their commitment and steadfastness to the principles of character, integrity, and good governance.
“I am indeed happy that all of you have spoken with one voice. It is not just one voice but a united front to lead the way to our collective victory in the journey ahead.
“I wish to remind you that the journey we are embarking on now is to further raise the level of prosperity of our dear state through responsible leadership.
“The path we have toed is smooth, highly reassuring, and full of good tides that will propel our dear state to greatness. Therefore, you must show more commitment and attract genuine people who are ready to walk this path of righteousness with us.
“We are open to all, regardless of political, religious, or socio-cultural leanings. We have the numbers, strength, and political acumen to provide leadership that will make Osun the toast of its peers. By the grace of God, we shall succeed.”
“Aregbesola, while commenting on the resolution to quit APC, noted that the time had come for the members to work aggressively for the success of Omoluabi Progressives and its vision to entrench good governance in Osun.”
Meanwhile, the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in reaction stated that it is not perturbed by the announcement of the group which it called political gangbangers under the nomenclature of a self-styled Omoluabi Progressives to quit the mainstream of the party.
The party spokesperson, Chief Kola Olabisi in a statement said, “In fact, the preposterous announcement of the so-called Omoluabi Progressives to quit the APC is a good riddance to bad rubbish.
“In the first instance, the kernel of the statement by the dissidents group amounted to a confused pack of rudderless political vagabonds who were approbating and reprobating at the same time as it is on record that a sizeable number of them have either been expelled or suspended from the party.”
“How would any rational human being who has been suspended or expelled announce his resignation to the whole world again? Is that not an example of superfluity?
“We, in the Osun State APC, shall be happy to miss the political irritants and deviants who had since left the party by way of body and soul before the 2022 governorship election in the state.
“You cannot be saying you are in our party and be working against the interest of the same party. You are agents of the PDP in Osun State and you are still of service to the ruling party in the state.”
He added: “What we are seeing with hindsight is that the hand is proverbially that of Jacob while the voice is identifiable to Isau.”
“We shall be ready for the antics of the political renegades.
“The ambulatory Omoluabi Progressives believe they are more progressive in Nigeria than the real progenitors of the progressives party having no respect for the elders and their political benefactors.”
“We are not bothered by the action of the frustrated and expired politicians who had since left the party since about three years ago when all their efforts to destabilize and hijack the party did not come to fruition.
“The ecent announcement of your either forming or joining another party is the imminent beginning of your political funeral which will end up in your final burial through the 2026 governorship election.
“More importantly, the blindfolded followers of the ill-fated Omoluabi Progressives will regret being part of this shenanigan.
“Osun APC is waxing stronger by the day. Our message to the frustrated Omoluabi Progressive handlers is that whoever wants to bury his elder brother nakedly should take along his younger brother in order to show the latter how he too would be buried at the end of his journey of life”, he submitted.
Aregbesola who is the leader of the group used to be a strong political ally of President Bola Tinubu.
He once served as the Commissioner For Works in Lagos State during the reign of Tinubu as governor of the state.
Things, however, fell apart between Aregbesola and Tinubu in the buildup to the 2023 presidential election, a development believed to have cost the APC the governorship seat in Osun State.
