A silent crisis is brewing in the Osun state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola and the National Secretary of the party, Ajibola Basiru, may be on a collision course over who contests the 2026 governorship election, this paper has learnt.
Our correspondent reports that Oyetola and Basiru are allies but could soon part ways as both men are finding it hard to agree on who flies the APC flag in 2026 to challenge the ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which seemed to have endorsed the incumbent Governor, Ademola Adeleke, for re-election.
Sources within the main opposition party informed this paper that Basiru, a former Senator representing Osun central district, is nursing aspiration to govern Osun, and hopes to pick the APC ticket to contest the 2026 election.
Basiru, according to one of the sources, is banking on the sentiment of ‘Osogbo L’Okan’ to rally support for his aspiration, and have already commenced silent consultation to position himself for the APC ticket.
The source noted that Basiru had already shared his aspiration with some leaders of the APC in Osun state and was advised to work on warming himself into the minds of party members in the state without raising much dust.
“Sometime last year, the Senator (Basiru) provided N2m to councillors on the platform of the party that were sacked by the court to distribute among themselves,” the source noted, adding that “It was a strategic move to show them the soft side of him (Basiru) and made it easy to bring them to his side when needed.”
The moves seemed not to have gone noticed but Oyetola, as feelers within his inner circle suggested a sense of ingratitude from the former Senator over attempt to outplay the former governor for the APC ticket come 2026.
An ally of Oyetola who simply identified himself as Kayode, told this reporter that Basiru should not have allowed his ambition for governor pitched him against Oyetola who saved his political career by helping him to secure the national scribe of the APC after losing bid to return to the Senate.
“It is unfortunate that Basiru turned this way because Oyetola was so good to him. Even if he has aspiration to be Governor, he should have at least discussed it with Oyetola, not going behind him to do a sort of things. After all, Oyetola played a key role in how he emerged the National Secretary of the APC after Omisore left,” Kayode noted.
When asked to comment on a picture of the duo meeting in Mecca recently, Kayode said it was nothing but usual politics and an attempt by Oyetola to get Basiru on the same page with him on the 2026 governorship election.
But things did not however go as expected, according to Kayode, who said Basiru refused to commit himself to go with Oyetola’s decision on the 2026 governorship poll, arguing that the APC requires a formidable candidate to match Adeleke at the poll.
“In essence, he was saying Oyetola isn’t a match to Adeleke, and leaving the illusion that he stands better chance as the APC candidate. You can imagine the effrontery.
“Although he didn’t open up to Oyetola that he would contest for Governor in 2026, but his body language says it all, and confirms what we have been hearing so far. We will wait for him to see how he would scale through his blind aspiration.
“If it won’t be Oyetola, it cannot be Basiru, except we are not serious about winning at all. Didn’t the same Basiru lost his reelection woefully, struggling to win two local governments? He should stop overating his political value and face reality,” Kayode added.