Aregbesola’s ally returns to APC in Osun

From Lateef Dada, Osogbo

A prominent ally of former governor Rauf Aregbesola in Osun State, Wale Alabi, led hundreds of supporters back to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday, marking a significant return for his faction known as the Blue Movement.

Addressing supporters in Osogbo, Alabi clarified that his group had not officially left the APC but had merely functioned as a caucus within the party. “In the Blue Movement, we never left the APC. What we did was to belong to a caucus inside the APC, and for a long time we’ve been active in party activities. Today, we celebrate the creation of the Blue Movement and reactivate our full presence in the party,” he stated.

He expressed confidence in the group’s electoral strength, saying: “By the grace of the Lord, we are looking for ways where one member in the Blue Movement can guarantee our candidate like five to ten votes. If you multiply that with our number, you can recognise the impact we can make.”

Alabi criticised the current state administration, claiming: “It is quite unfortunate that we have someone who is not qualified to serve in this capacity governing the state. The way Osun is being run shows that the person in charge is incompetent. This is the first time that the state is receiving significant allocations from the federal government, yet our current leadership is wasting resources. This has to stop in 2026.”

He emphasised that the event symbolised unity within the party and predicted: “This gathering is a sign that the APC will win the gubernatorial election scheduled for August 8, 2026.”

Receiving the returning members, the APC’s governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, remarked that the Blue Movement consisted of dedicated APC members who had stepped aside during the 2022 governorship election. “Around six thousand of them chose to prevent their participation back then. We pleaded with them, but they felt they needed to step aside,” Oyebamiji recounted.

He welcomed the group back, stating: “Now that they are back, we are rehabilitating them and reinstating them. This will significantly boost the voting strength of Osun APC.”

Oyebamiji urged party members to collaborate with the Blue Movement, maintaining that they are integral to the party’s goals. “Let’s work together from the unit level to the ward level,” he encouraged.