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• Fashola, Mimiko, Adebayo lead reconciliation push
From Romanus Ugwu, Lateef Dada, Osogbo, Mohammed Abubakar, Dutse and Lukman Olabiyi
Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-West have intensified efforts to reconcile aggrieved members and strengthen the party’s structures ahead of President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign, even as disagreements over the composition and leadership of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) in Osun State continue to divide stakeholders.
The reconciliation initiative, led by former Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola; former Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko; and former Ekiti State Governor, Adeniyi Adebayo, coincided with a fresh controversy in Osun, where four members of the APC State Working Committee (SWC) rejected a parallel presidential campaign structure, while the party’s elders caucus declared its readiness to work with Governor Ademola Adeleke as the state’s campaign coordinator.
The developments came as a prominent APC chieftain from Kano State and member of the Presidential Campaign Council, Musa Ilyasu Kwankwaso, dismissed suggestions that support for Tinubu was weakening in Northern Nigeria, insisting that the President’s supporters remained committed to his second-term ambition despite criticisms from opposition politicians.
At a stakeholders’ engagement organised by the APC Presidential Campaign Council’s Directorate of Stakeholders Mobilisation in the South-West Zone,held in Ikeja, Lagos, party leaders and representatives from Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states agreed on the need to address internal grievances, rebuild confidence among members and strengthen grassroots mobilisation ahead of the general election.
Welcoming participants, Fashola urged aggrieved party members to put aside their differences and work towards a common objective, warning that unresolved disagreements could undermine the party’s preparations for the presidential election.
He called on stakeholders to sheath their swords, reconcile their differences and embrace collective responsibility, stressing that unity among party leaders and supporters was essential to effective political mobilisation across the region.
The former Lagos governor also drew attention to the historical pattern of power rotation between Northern and Southern Nigeria, arguing that the opportunity for the South to complete its turn in the presidency should not be undermined by internal political disagreements.
Fashola further called for an aggressive voter mobilisation strategy, particularly among newly registered voters and those who participated in previous elections but had since become politically disengaged.
According to him, the party must go beyond conventional campaign activities by identifying the reasons for voter apathy and addressing the concerns that have discouraged some eligible Nigerians from participating in elections. He maintained that understanding the expectations and grievances of voters would help the party strengthen its engagement with communities and improve participation in the electoral process.
Speaking on behalf of the stakeholders, Mimiko acknowledged the economic and governance challenges confronting the Tinubu administration but maintained that its policies and programmes were beginning to produce positive results.
He cited developments in the education sector, particularly what he described as the emergence of a more predictable academic calendar in tertiary institutions, as an example of interventions bringing relief to students and their families.
The former Ondo governor urged party members to recognise the importance of sustaining the administration’s programmes while setting aside personal and political differences that could weaken the APC’s organisation ahead of the 2027 elections.
The engagement was attended by Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat; former Ekiti State Governor, Adeniyi Adebayo; and other party leaders, alongside representatives of the mobilisation directorate from the six South-West states.
However, the appeal for unity came against the backdrop of a growing disagreement in Osun State over the leadership and composition of Tinubu’s presidential campaign structure. The controversy followed the emergence of another Presidential Campaign Council headed by Bola Oyebamiji, the APC governorship candidate in the last Osun election, as Director-General, with the state party chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, serving as Deputy Director-General.
The arrangement drew objections from four members of the party’s State Working Committee, who questioned its legitimacy and demanded an immediate review, arguing that it conflicted with an earlier presidential directive reportedly naming Governor Adeleke to coordinate the campaign in the state.
In a statement made available to journalists in Abuja, the officials expressed concern that the emergence of another campaign structure without adequate consultations or clarification could create confusion, duplicate responsibilities and weaken coordination among stakeholders ahead of the presidential election.
The statement was signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Wole Adunola; Welfare Officer, Adesola Ayangbile; Assistant Organising Secretary, Rasheed Adeniji; and Ex-Officio member, Abiola Ololade.
“The composition of the list appears inconsistent with the earlier presidential directive reportedly naming Governor Adeleke as the DG of the PCC in Osun State. Following that directive, the governor promptly inaugurated a broad-based campaign team to drive the presidential campaign across the state.
“It is, therefore, unclear why a different structure has now emerged without adequate clarification or alignment with the existing arrangement. However, if the newly released list is intended to serve as a Parliamentary Campaign Council rather than the Presidential Campaign Council, its composition would be more understandable.
“This distinction must be clearly established to avoid confusion, duplication of responsibilities, and unnecessary friction within the party’s campaign structure,” the statement read.
The officials insisted that legitimate party structures must be respected in the constitution of any statewide presidential campaign council, warning that the exclusion of critical stakeholders could undermine the unity required for effective grassroots mobilisation.
“The State Executive Committee remains an integral part of the APC’s organisational framework and cannot be sidelined in the constitution of a statewide campaign council. A successful campaign must be built on mutual respect, proper coordination, and the active involvement of legitimate party stakeholders,” they stated.
They demanded an immediate review of the published list through consultations involving relevant party leaders, including the APC National Secretary, Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, and the State Director-General, to ensure proper alignment of the competing arrangements.
“We consequently call for an immediate review of the published list, with appropriate consultations involving relevant stakeholders, including the National Secretary of our party, Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, and the State Director-General, to ensure proper alignment and effective coordination.
“Our commitment to the APC and the success of our presidential candidate remains unwavering. However, party loyalty should not prevent constructive engagement when decisions risk creating avoidable divisions and weakening our collective efforts.
“We urge the appropriate party leadership at both state and national levels to address these concerns without delay and ensure that the necessary corrections are made,” the officials stated.
They maintained that their objections should not be misconstrued as opposition to Tinubu’s re-election ambition, stressing that their concern was the need to establish a credible, inclusive and properly coordinated campaign structure capable of accommodating the various political interests working for the President.
“Our position is clear: we need a campaign council that respects party structures, recognises legitimate leadership, accommodates critical stakeholders, and unites all members towards electoral victory.
“The task ahead demands unity, discipline, strategic coordination, and collective responsibility. No legitimate stakeholder should be left behind.
“We remain fully committed to the success of our presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, and the overall interests of the APC. However, the current composition of the PCC list must be reviewed to reflect the inclusiveness and institutional respect necessary for a united and formidable campaign,” the statement added.
In a separate development, the Osun APC elders caucus, known as Igbimo Agba, declared its readiness to work with Governor Adeleke in his capacity as the coordinator of Tinubu’s presidential campaign in the state.
In a statement made available to journalists in Osogbo, the chairman of the caucus, Sola Akinwumi, said the body remained united and fully prepared to mobilise party supporters across the state for the President’s re-election.
Akinwumi expressed delight at Adeleke’s resolve and readiness to collaborate with the APC, maintaining that such political cooperation would create opportunities for broader mobilisation across party lines.
“With this development of political collaboration, we shall double our efforts. All hands will be on deck—both as a body and as a party—to achieve a huge harvest of unprecedented votes in Osun State,” the statement read.
According to him, securing electoral victory for Tinubu would require strong and unbiased political cooperation among the leadership of the APC, the Accord Party and other political parties in Osun, working under the state campaign coordinator.
He, however, stressed that the proposed collaboration should not weaken the APC’s identity or undermine its preparations for other elective positions, urging party leaders to reposition the organisation to ensure that its candidates performed strongly in the forthcoming elections.
“However, our party, the APC, should further reposition itself politically to ensure that our candidates for other elective positions win massively in the scheduled elections for the sustenance of our party’s identity.
“This can be achieved through mutual understanding and by teaming up with the presently constituted party leadership down the ladder,” Akinwumi said.
The elders caucus chairman expressed hope that Governor Adeleke, former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and the APC State Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, would establish a smooth and harmonious working relationship in carrying out the responsibilities ahead.
Although the elders caucus and the four SWC members expressed support for Adeleke’s role in coordinating the presidential campaign, their interventions also underscored the need to reconcile the competing arrangements and clarify the responsibilities of those involved.
While the elders emphasised cooperation among Adeleke, Oyetola, Lawal and other political stakeholders, the SWC members insisted that such collaboration must be anchored on established party structures, adequate consultations and respect for legitimate leadership.
Meanwhile, Kwankwaso maintained that the political situation in the North remained favourable to Tinubu, dismissing suggestions that sustained opposition criticisms had weakened the President’s support base in the region.
Speaking with journalists in Dutse, Jigawa State, the APC chieftain declared that there was neither panic nor retreat among Tinubu’s supporters, insisting that the region’s confidence in the President was anchored on his administration’s policies, programmes and what he described as measurable achievements since assuming office.
“There is no panic and no going back in our support for Tinubu. The criticisms coming from the opposition will not stop us from voting for him in the North,” he declared.
Kwankwaso argued that the sustained attacks against the administration were part of the political manoeuvring ahead of the general election and could not erase what he described as the President’s expanding political support across the northern region.
He maintained that northern voters were increasingly concerned about issues directly affecting their lives, including economic recovery, security, infrastructure development, employment and national stability, rather than what he characterised as negative political narratives.
Describing Tinubu as the best man for the job in 2027, Kwankwaso expressed confidence that the administration’s achievements and ongoing reforms would provide sufficient grounds for the President to seek a fresh mandate from Nigerians.
According to him, the criticisms being directed at the administration by opposition politicians would not diminish support for the President, stressing that his supporters remained convinced that the policies and programmes already initiated would deliver the desired results.
He said political coalitions backing Tinubu would intensify engagement with voters across the North, taking the administration’s message to communities and highlighting what they considered gains recorded under the President’s leadership.
Kwankwaso urged APC members and other supporters of Tinubu not to be distracted by criticisms from political opponents, maintaining that the immediate priority should be to consolidate party structures, strengthen grassroots mobilisation and sustain communication with the electorate.
He expressed confidence that supporters of the President would remain united and focused on securing his re-election, insisting that the 2027 presidential election would provide Nigerians with an opportunity to assess the administration’s performance and determine whether to give Tinubu another mandate to consolidate his policies.
The APC chieftain consequently urged northern supporters to remain resolute, describing the President’s second-term ambition as an opportunity to sustain what he called the administration’s development trajectory
