As politicians gear up for the 2026 Osun gubernatorial election and 2027 poll, President Bola Tinubu’s political loyalists and supporters have started leaving the All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader to join the coalition, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) chapter in Osun.
The loyalists, who had over the years supported the President during his switch from the defunct parties to APC, were currently being wooed by the state’s former governor, Rauf Aregbesola, the interim national secretary of the opposition party in the country.
Sources in the state disclosed that they were being lured into ADC by members of the Omoluabi Progressives, a political movement founded by the former Interior minister, Aregbesola.
The group setup by the former minister which had as members former lawmakers and staunch grassroot mobilisers had already collapsed its structures across Osun for ADC in support of their leader, vowing to ensure the party wins the governorship poll next year in the state.
Although the declarations had not been officially done by the Omoluabi members and Tinubu loyalists, APC party members indicated that ADC has become the new bride in Osun.
This declaration was made on Wednesday by the group’s coordinator in Osun, Bayo Oyetola, during a press briefing in Osogbo, the state capital.
He noted that the decision followed extensive consultations with grassroots members and key stakeholders within the progressive family.
According to Oyetola, the group is aligning with the ADC as part of efforts to reposition Osun State politically and provide a credible alternative platform for good governance.
He emphasized that the move is not just a merger but a strategic alliance aimed at strengthening democratic participation in the state.
“We are prepared to collapse our political structures in all 30 local government areas and the area office into the ADC. This is a decision born out of the need to reinvigorate progressive politics in Osun and ensure a people-oriented government,” he said.
The Omoluabi coordinator also urged other like-minded groups and individuals to join forces with the ADC, stressing that the time had come for a united front to rescue the state from its current challenges and restore the original ideals of progressivism.
The announcement follows the defection of several politicians to the ADC, which has been adopted by coalitions of opposition figures aiming to unseat President Bola Tinubu in the upcoming presidential election.
