Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra and Osun states are grappling with internal anxieties following President Bola Tinubu’s visible rapport with Governors Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra and Ademola Adeleke of Osun.
Okay.ng reveal that some APC loyalists fear this relationship could undermine the party’s prospects in the forthcoming governorship elections.
In Osun State, discontent brews particularly among supporters of Minister Gboyega Oyetola, who view Adeleke’s recent visit to Tinubu’s Lagos residence on June 3 as a troubling sign. Adeleke was accompanied by his brother, billionaire Dr. Deji Adeleke, and his nephew, Afrobeat star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido. This meeting has ignited speculation about Adeleke’s possible defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, especially following the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila’s visit to Adeleke at the Government House on May 20.
Some APC members loyal to Oyetola have openly criticized Adeleke’s overtures, fearing a repeat of the 2023 Oyo State scenario where Tinubu supported opposition Governor Seyi Makinde over the APC candidate. At a press conference led by former Speaker Timothy Owoeye, Osun APC leaders declared Adeleke unwelcome in the party, accusing him of a “desperate move” to escape defeat in the PDP.
Owoeye stated, “If not for the fear of the unknown disturbing the Adeleke family and the PDP, they wouldn’t be showing intention of coming to the APC.” Osun APC spokesperson Kola Olabisi further insisted that Adeleke’s visit to Tinubu signals uncertainty about his re-election chances on the PDP platform, asserting, “Why is he hobnobbing with the national leader of the APC if he has nothing to do with the party?”
Conversely, Osun PDP spokesperson Oladele Bamiji dismissed these concerns as arrogance from APC members who wrongly assume exclusive access to the President. He emphasized that meetings between the President and state governors are routine governance matters, not political endorsements. Bamiji accused the APC of planning to use presidential power to rig the 2026 election in their favor, stating, “They may be afraid of their own shadow.”
An anonymous APC chieftain expressed unease about Tinubu’s unpredictable political maneuvers, recalling the Oyo State incident and warning against Adeleke’s entry into the APC. The Osun governorship election is slated for August 6, 2026.
Regarding Adeleke’s visit to Tinubu, a senior aide explained it was aimed at resolving the ongoing local government crisis in Osun, where governance has stalled due to disputes over council control between PDP and APC factions. The aide said, “The governor met the President to discuss a way out of the local government crisis and to request a soft landing in next year’s local government election.”
In Anambra, a parallel situation unfolds as President Tinubu’s May 8 visit to inaugurate projects by Governor Soludo stirred controversy. Some APC members and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) interpreted the visit as an endorsement of Soludo’s second term. However, APC state chairman Basil Ejidike and Deputy Publicity Secretary Osita Ibeh denied any alliance between APC and Soludo’s APGA, affirming their commitment to fielding their own candidate, Nicholas Ukachukwu, in the November 8, 2025 governorship election.
Ibeh stated, “APC is Tinubu and Tinubu is APC. We are not partnering with anyone. The President said to us: ‘Go and get me Anambra State and connect Anambra to the centre.’ That is the mandate given to us.”
As the 2025 and 2026 governorship elections in Anambra and Osun respectively approach, the APC grapples with internal divisions and strategic uncertainties fueled by the complex political dynamics involving Governors Soludo, Adeleke, and President Tinubu.
