The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, on Thursday failed to comment on the allegations raised by a group, Osun APC Stakeholders Forum, in an open letter to President Bola Tinubu on the reasons why the party lost the August 15 Osun governorship poll.

🇳🇬 Here's What Happened

The PUNCH reports that the incumbent Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, was returned elected by the State Returning Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission on Sunday, Prof Joshua Ogunwole.

Adeleke won the governorship poll with a total of 511,067, to defeat Bola Oyebamiji of the APC, who polled 444,815 votes.

The group, in an open letter dated August 18, addressed to Tinubu, said the minister’s conduct led to the defeat the APC suffered in the governorship poll.

📌 Key Details

The forum, in the letter signed by Prof Akin Adeyanju and Sola Ajayi, the coordinator and secretary of the group respectively, said Oyetola single-handedly selected all candidates for elective office in the state, adding that he also gave federal political appointments to cronies, allies and kinsmen from his hometown and his political camp.

The letter read, “We respectfully submit that the principal reason for our defeat was the conduct of the immediate past governor of the state and Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola.

“In our assessment, he appointed cronies, allies and kinsmen to federal political positions and single-handedly selected all candidates for elective office in the state, disregarding the advice and counsel of party elders who urged him to carry other critical stakeholders along.”

It alleged that Oyetola gave appointments to 387 people, including 31 and 332 local government and ward Renewed Hope Ambassadors.

It further accused the ex-Osun State Governor of singlehandedly picking the governorship candidate, deputy governorship candidate, the three senatorial candidates, nine House of Representatives candidates and 26 House of Assembly candidates of the party in the 2027 polls.

Suggesting ways to reposition the party for better performance in the future, the group urged Tinubu to: “direct an immediate, independent review of the Osun State chapter’s leadership structure and candidate-selection process ahead of any future elections.

📰 Source: Punch Nigeria