Fresh cracks have emerged in President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign arrangements in Osun State after the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) complained that it was kept in the dark about the inauguration of the state Presidential Campaign Committee.
NEWSNGR understands that Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party (A) is coordinating the committee, which was named Tinubu’s campaign coordinator in the state.
In a statement on Thursday, the state APC Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, said the party received no formal notice of the inauguration.
Lawal said the party only stumbled on the list of committee members when it was posted on social media on Wednesday afternoon by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed.
“We are reiterating the fact that we did not have the knowledge of any inauguration beyond the social media listing of some names yesterday afternoon by the spokesman of Governor Adeleke,” he said.
The APC chairman also faulted the timing of the announcement, noting that it came less than 12 hours before the scheduled event, a development he said could make it impossible for many party leaders and members to attend.
He added that the state leadership of the party was not consulted before the list was made public less than 24 hours before the inauguration.
While reaffirming the party’s commitment to Tinubu’s second-term bid, Lawal said the campaign was too important to handle in haste.
“In as much as we consider the re-election of the national leader of our party, President Tinubu, as a collective task which we have been working vigorously and assiduously to achieve through various means, it is our view and conviction that such an exercise should be properly scheduled,” he said.
He argued that because the campaign concerned the re-election of a President produced by the APC, which he called the largest democratic party in sub-Saharan Africa, it deserved to follow due process.
The party went further, suggesting the arrangement was deliberately designed to cause friction between it and the governor.
“In our view, the current arrangement of the said state Presidential Campaign Committee was designed to stoke and promote an avoidable misunderstanding between our party and the appointed state coordinator of the campaign in the state,” Lawal stated.
Despite its grievances, the Osun APC said it was willing to make concessions to secure Tinubu’s victory.
“We are reiterating the fact that we are not opposed to conceding anything for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the forthcoming presidential election, but our concern is that things should be done in a proper way to achieve desired results,” the statement added.
The party conceded that Adeleke’s involvement could boost the President’s prospects in the state through cross-party cooperation, but insisted on adequate consultation and coordination.
The inauguration was scheduled to take place in Osogbo on Thursday, with Adeleke and two former governors of the state, Bisi Akande and Adegboyega Oyetola, among the expected dignitaries, according to NEWSNGR.
The council is reported to comprise political leaders, elected officials, former lawmakers, party officials, and other stakeholders from the APC, the Accord Party, and the Peoples Democratic Party.
