The leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Osun on Tuesday reaffirmed their stand on the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola CON as the leader of the party in the state.
The party’s leaders and stakeholders implored loyalists of the party to shun divisive tendencies just as they called for continued unity, peace, harmony and team spirit to reclaim government for the progressive party, come 2026
The reaffirmation and other resolutions of the party are contained in a communique issued at the end of the Stakeholders’ meeting of the leadership of the party, held at the residence of Chief Abdul-Kareem Adebisi Akande, the former pioneer National Chairman of the ruling party, in Ila Orangun.
The stakeholders urged party’s loyalists to mobilize massively for party’s e-registration coming up soon in line with the directive of the party’s national Secretariat, Abuja.
The communique reads in parts: “At the end of today’s stakeholders’ meeting held at Ila-Orangun, some of the following resolutions were made: Chief Adebisi Akande charged party leaders and stakeholders to work for the strengthening of the party ahead of the 2026 governorship election as well as the need to adopt formally a leader of the party in the state.
“Upon a motion moved by the National Secretary of APC, Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru and seconded by Pa. Gbadebo Ajao, party leaders and stakeholders unanimously reaffirmed His Excellency, Adegboyega Oyetola as Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
“The meeting urged for unity and strengthening of the party in the state, hence, the need for party leaders to shun divisive tendencies.
“On e-registration, the party members were urged not to allow disloyal members to participate.”
Earlier, Chief Akande urged the party loyalists to remain steadfast and faithful to the principles and tenets of the party as the state approaches the next governorship election.
The former Osun State Governor commended what was being done and highlighted the fact that even though the party is not in government there hasn’t been any major defection from the party saying “that signal the commitment of our party leaders and members to the growth and development of the party.
“By the tradition of the party, where there is a Governor, he is the leader of the party but in view of the fact that presently our party is not the one that produced the Governor of the state, there is a need to formally nominate and have a leader of the party”, he said.
Speaking to journalists on the purpose of the meeting, the APC National Scribe, Ajibola Basiru said, “today’s stakeholders’ meeting was held at the instance of our National Leader and founding Chairman of APC, Chief Adebisi Akande and it involved many leaders and critical stakeholders in attendance.
“Upon the commendation of the National Leader of the Party, Chief Akande on the successes recorded so far and the need to formally nominate and have a leader of the party, it is on this notion that I moved the motion that the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola should be adopted formally even though he has been playing leadership role of the party since he left office and the motion was seconded by one of our leaders, a member of Osun Elders’ Council, Pa. Gbadebo Ajao and it was unanimously adopted by the stakeholders and Oyetola was adopted as the leader of the party.
“So, he has been saddled with the responsibility of leading the party to victory in the next governorship election. It was made categorically clear that there is a need to have constant meetings by ensuring that party members are holding meetings regularly in their respective Local Governments and Wards, Senatorial Districts and Federal Constituencies and the party members must work in unity not within the context of groupings so that the party will be able to harmoniously work together towards sending out of the Okefia Government House, the dilettantes that are in government house today.
“Also, there is a need for us to have a credible register and the way to go about it in this modern world is to have e-registration that would be biometric-based and digitalised, all these were part of the resolutions made”, he added.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, lauded leaders and members of the party for their resilience and commitment thus far.
He enjoined them to continue to remain steadfast and resolute as the party continues to wax stronger and formidable.
The State APC Chairman, Alhaji Tajudeen Lawal had earlier; briefed the meeting as to the progress made so far since the setting up of Prof. Isaac Adewole’s repositioning committee and the successes recorded in that regard.
Speaking to the communique, the State Secretary of the party, Alhaji Kamorudeen Alao acknowledged the necessity of the resolutions made by the party.
The stakeholders’ meeting had in attendance the APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru; former Governor of the state and former National Chairman of the Defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Chief Abdul-Kareem Adebisi Akande; APC State Chairman, Alhaji Tajudeen Lawal; former Deputies Governor, Mrs. Grace Ponle; Mr. Benedict Alabi; Chairman Osun APC Forum of Elders, Engr. Sola Akinwumi, Chief Shuaibu Oyedokun, former Deputy National Chairman of PDP now chieftain of the APC; past political office holders, former Speakers of the State Assembly, former members of the National Assembly, Local Government Council chairmen of the party and State Working Committee of the party among others.
