NEWS
“Oyetola Had All The Resources To Win His Re-election. But He Couldn’t Use Them.” — President Bola Tinubu Expresses Disappointment Over Oyetola’s Failed Re-Election Bid, Urges Osun APC Leaders to Unite
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reportedly expressed disappointment over the inability of former Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, to secure a second term in office, despite having what the President described as sufficient resources to support his re-election bid.
Tinubu was said to have made the remark during an emergency meeting with about 76 All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders from Osun State at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, as the party moves to resolve internal disagreements ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
The meeting reportedly provided an avenue for aggrieved party stakeholders to present their concerns directly to the President, with allegations of marginalisation and dissatisfaction over the distribution of federal appointments emerging as major issues.
Some of the leaders reportedly complained that federal appointments from Osun State had largely favoured members of Oyetola’s political camp, leaving other APC stakeholders feeling sidelined and frustrated.
A former lawmaker who attended the meeting reportedly told the President that the divisions within the Osun APC could damage the party’s chances at the forthcoming election if urgent steps were not taken to reconcile the different camps.
Tinubu was said to have urged the stakeholders to put their personal and political differences aside and concentrate on the collective objective of securing victory for the APC.
While reflecting on the party’s previous electoral setbacks in Osun State, the President reportedly cited Oyetola’s unsuccessful re-election bid as an example of what could happen when available political resources are not effectively deployed.
He was quoted as saying, “Oyetola had all the resources to win his re-election. But he couldn’t use them.”
The President reportedly stressed that Oyetola’s defeat should not be regarded simply as an individual loss, but as a setback for the APC as a political organisation.
Tinubu therefore urged the party leaders to learn from the experience, reconcile their differences and build a united political structure capable of delivering victory for the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji.
With the August 15 election drawing closer, the President’s intervention signals growing concern within the APC leadership over the impact of internal disagreements on the party’s electoral fortunes in Osun State.
The meeting also underscores the importance of unity among the party’s various factions, as the APC seeks to mobilise its grassroots structures, consolidate its support base and avoid a repeat of previous electoral disappointments.
For the Osun APC, the immediate challenge now lies in translating the President’s call for reconciliation into concrete political action, bringing competing interests together and presenting a united front before voters.