2026: Why Omisore May Work Against Oyebamiji

• As Relationship With Oyetola Breaks Down
• Absence At Major Party Events Indication of Deep Feud – Sources

The relationship between the immediate past National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Iyiola Omisore and some leaders of the party in Osun State has broken down ahead of the forthcoming gubernatorial election, OSUN DEFENDER reliably gathered.

The development, according to sources close to the former deputy governor, was due to the events that preceded the emergence of Mr Bola Oyebamiji as the party’s candidate for the election.

Sources who spoke to the medium, particularly mentioned the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, whom they claimed was not in good terms with Omisore.

OSUN DEFENDER reports that some days before the primary election of the party, the All Progressives Congress Screening Committee disqualified Omisore and six other aspirants from contesting, citing gaps and irregularities in their nomination process.

Other disqualified aspirants included the immediate past deputy governor of the state, Benedict Alabi, Osogbo-born lawyer, Kunle Adegoke SAN, former Senator, Babajide Omoworare, Prince Dotun Babayemi, Dr Akin Ogunbiyi and Babatunde Oralusi.

Following their disqualification, Omisore, alongside other disqualified aspirants, accused the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy of being behind their ordeal.

In a video obtained by OSUN DEFENDER, Omisore, who was flanked by Alabi, Ogunbiyi, Adegoke, Omoworare and Oralusi, alleged that the panel chairman confirmed that he was pressured by Oyetola to disqualify them.

He said, “The panel report is the joke of 2025. It is quite unfortunate that people are taking partisanship beyond politics. The committee wrote three contradictory reports—one to the secretary, one to the leadership, and another somewhere else.

“The chairman of the panel, on the first day, reached out to us that Mr Gboyega Oyetola called him that he must disqualify all of us because his poster boy, Bola Oyebamiji, is the one he wants.”

Omisore also accused Oyetola of deceiving him into blocking Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, from defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He lamented that when Adeleke was all set to join the APC, the Minister called him and said Adeleke’s entry would spell trouble for his (Omisore’s) ambition and thus enlisted him in blocking Adeleke.

The former deputy governor, however, said he did not know that Oyetola was just using him to project his own candidate.

His words: “When Adeleke wanted to come to APC, Oyetola was always calling me that this is a problem and we have to resist this. And I went ahead to Channels to resist that defection, not knowing that he (Oyetola) has his own plan to sabotage me.”

A few days before the governorship primary, President Bola Tinubu hosted all the aspirants, except Omisore, at the Presidential Villa, where he reportedly endorsed the eventual candidate, Oyebamiji.

Even though Omisore later disclosed that he would be supporting the anointed APC candidate, sources said the Ile-Ife-born politician may still move to another party or adopt a siddon-look approach for the election.

One of the sources claimed that Omisore was not invited to the meeting with the President, adding that there is currently an animosity between the former deputy governor and some of the party leadership, most especially, the Minister.

“I can tell you categorically that our principal felt betrayed by everything that happened. It seems he was used and dumped. They have their plans in place and we will also let them know we are real politicians.

“Some people are afraid of his popularity and they used all means to stop him from contesting the primary. They knew he would win that primary election convincingly if they all went to the field and used a dirty tactic to edge him out. Imagine telling a former deputy governor and a former national secretary that he is not qualified.

“They also went to the meeting with President Bola Tinubu without him. We heard some people at the meeting told the President they can do it without the support of Omisore. Let’s wait and see. The same Omisore who came to the party’s rescue in 2018. They lost in 2022 because they cast Omisore and his people away and they are doing so again.

“Our principal has said he will support the candidate of the party but let it be known that he would not be forced to do anything. If they need his help, they know what to do. What he has been preaching is unity but it seems he is making some people in the party uncomfortable,” the source noted.

A chieftain of the APC, Akin Adeyi, had also, in an open letter, claimed he heard that the former national secretary may not work for the party during the forthcoming election.

Adeyi, in the open letter, said he heard that Omisore might allegedly engage in anti-party activities during the election.

“But suddenly and from nowhere came a disturbing rumour suggesting that you and your team are considering, among others, the siddon-look and or secret support for the opposition, plus other anti-party actions.

“But what about this trending treacherous rumour or allegation of you being anti-party? What is its source? Sir, I firmly believe it is a fabrication from the pits of hell, born out of desperation from the opposition.

“Nonetheless, I urge you to address it with more than just words – take immediate, concrete and reassuring actions by stating and affirming your position of loyalty to the party’s decision. Do not permit your accomplishments to be sabotaged by internal enemies, bad advisers, and followers,” Adeyi said in his letter.

But the Director General of Omisore’s campaign team, Hon Ajibola Famurewa, hit back at Adeyi over his claims.

Famurewa, who, however, confirmed Omisore’s refrain from the party activities also suggested that the relationship between the duo was not cordial.

The former federal lawmaker said, “It is therefore disingenuous to subtly recast restraint as betrayal and strategy as anti-party behaviour. Silence is not disloyalty. Caution is not sabotage. And dignity is not weakness.

“While you question Omisore’s loyalty based on rumours, you remain silent on widely circulating reports attributed to reliable sources that former Governor Gboyega Oyetola allegedly boasted he would rather lose the 2026 gubernatorial election than seek or allow Senator Omisore to lead or anchor the party’s campaign.

“If true, such a statement speaks volumes not about Omisore but about fear, insecurity and a depth of ingratitude that politics often exposes.

“No one should be blamed for refusing to beg anyone, but arrogance, opportunism, and selfish calculations must not be disguised as principle. When personal ambition is placed above collective victory, the party suffers.”

Another source told OSUN DEFENDER that Omisore may move back to the Peoples Democratic Party if the situation remains the same.

He said, “There is the option of moving back to the Peoples Democratic Party if the hostility persists. We own the PDP, and the person we can’t work with, Governor Adeleke, has left the party, so there is the likelihood of moving there.

“Omisore is not a baby politician and it will be criminal for anybody or party to underestimate him. He is ready to be a real party man, but if they insist that they don’t want him, we will encourage him to leave the APC.”

OSUN DEFENDER reports that since the meeting with President Tinubu, Omisore has not been seen at an APC event, a situation that further confirms the discord within the party.

Omisore was absent during the party’s primary election, where other disqualified aspirants were present, and affirmed the choice of Oyebamiji as the flagbearer                  .

Also, the leadership of the party recently held a stakeholders meeting at the Ila-Orangun home of the national leader of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande, where issues on how the party will win the August 08, 2026, election were discussed.

However, Omisore was not at the meeting with a source saying he was invited but claimed he was not around an sent one of his loyalists to the meeting.