Even as politicians gear up for the Osun State local government elections come February 22, 2025, what is uppermost on the minds of political gladiators is the 2026 gubernatorial contest.
This is as some interest groups calling for the zoning of the guber ticket within the All Progressives Congress, APC, have started to trade tackle on the modus operandi to be adopted to achieve their goals.
Arogidigba Global Journal gathered on Thursday that members of a group within the Osun APC, under the aegis of Majiyagbe Progressives, are planning to split the party.
Their grouse, it was gathered, is that Bola Oyebamiji, who is the current Managing Director of the National Inland Waterway Agency, NIWA, may be imposed on the party as the gubernatorial candidate for the 2026 election by a former governor, Chief Bisi Akande, and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola.
The group reportedly viewed the choice of Bola Oyebamiji, who is from Ikire town in the Osun West Senatorial District, as an imposition from the party leaders and want to decide on their own candidate.
Arogidigba Global Journal also reliably gathered that the Majiyagbe Progressives have reportedly held their first meeting on Monday where it was resolved to push against the two former governors in their bid to impose Oyebamiji.
Another group within the Osun APC, the Osun West Majiyagbe Ambassadors, TOWMA, has reacted to the claims by the splinter group that top figures within the party were attempting to impose a candidate from the district on them for the 2026 guber election.
Speaking on behalf of the group, the Coordinator Moshood Mujeeb, dismissed the allegations as false and harmful to the party’s democratic principles.
He emphasised the APC’s longstanding commitment to transparency and fair play, which has consistently allowed party members to participate in an open selection process.
Mujeeb stated that the group’s advocacy for zoning the APC gubernatorial ticket to the Osun West Senatorial District is grounded in fairness and equity.
He noted that despite years of marginalisation, Osun West has consistently supported the party’s candidates.
Mujeeb stated, “It is only just that the district now be given the opportunity to represent the state and contribute to its leadership.”
He urged party members to resist attempts by opposing factions to use misinformation and blackmail to discredit the zoning initiative.
The coordinator stressed that the call for a gubernatorial candidate from Osun West is not divisive but a unifying effort to address historical imbalances.
While calling on all party members to support the movement for fairness and representation, he revealed that polling data and grassroots support indicate widespread backing for the initiative, which aligns with the party’s principles of inclusiveness and progress.
Arogidigba Global Journal had earlier reported that APC leaders in Osun West Senatorial District called on Akande to throw his weight behind the calls for zoning of the guber ticket to the district.
Also, former chairmen of local governments from Osun West have also appealed to the leadership of the party to zone the governorship ticket to the senatorial district in the interest of justice, fairness and equity.
The ex-council helmsmen under the auspices of Forum of all Former Local Government Chairmen in Osun West also assured that Osun West remained the stronghold of the state APC and the governorship candidate of the party, if selected from the district, would unseat the incumbent, Governor Ademola Adeleke.