A stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at Iremo Ward 2, Ile-Ife, Ife Central local government of Osun State, Mr. Ayobami Owojori, has again cautioned the party against fielding the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, for the 2026 governorship election.
Owojori, in a widely circulated article on WhatsApp platforms, said Oyetola is too divisive as a flagbearer to secure victory for the party.
The APC chieftain had two months ago called for the zoning of the APC governorship ticket to Ile-Ife, stating that Osun Central, where Oyetola hails from, might fail the party again.
He said some APC members considered his call an affront because of their submission that Oyetola should be given an automatic ticket to contest the 2026 governorship election.
Owojori said: “Party members across the state who are members of the IleriOluwa group think that it is an affront to propose Ile-Ife for the next governorship candidate of the APC. To them, Oyetola is the leader of the party and should have an automatic governorship ticket in 2026.
“I respect Oyetola, he is a good person, but he and the IleriOluwa Group leaders managed and lost the 2022 governorship election, the 2023 State and Presidential elections. APC went into the elections divided in every local government, and the IleriOluwa leaders and their social media were too quarrelsome to embrace a wider team.
“IleriOluwa leaders believed they could win the last set of elections alone, and they did not placate party members who were disgruntled. After we lost it all, they said the people who they had said they do not need are saboteurs.
“Without sentiments, If APC can look into why we lost the elections and how we can come back to winning again, Oyetola will continue to be the recurring decimal in the middle. Oyetola is handling his leadership with a winner-takes-all pomp that hasn’t led more people in the party into the fold of his immediate caucus.
“As sitting Minister, he is still surrounded by his team that made him lose the election. He has changed nothing to the effect that the election result can change if he should re-contest. He is too divisive as a flagbearer to make APC win.”
Owojori said Ile-Ife has people with adequate education, rich political history, and other career experience that qualify them to be the APC flagbearer in 2026.
Ismaeel Uthman is an Editor, Media Consultant with over 14 years experience in print journalism.
A consummate writer and reporter, Uthman has received accolades for his works, especially one that appeals for good governance and community development. He is a recipient of many laurels, including the Best Investigative Reporter (Print) Award of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Osun State Council, in 2020.
