Two major All Progressives Congress (APC) interest groups in Osun State have called on the party leadership to zone the 2026 governorship ticket to Osun West Senatorial District, citing decades of political marginalization.
The groups said no fewer than 25,000 youths have been mobilised across Osun State to deliver victory for guber candidate of the party in 2026 election.
The groups; The Progressives Frontliners(TPF) and Coalition of Osun APC Interest Groups(COAIG) during their monthly joint meeting held in Osogbo disclosed that their membership strength had grew from 15,000 to 25,000 after spreading tentacle across the 30 councils.
Addressing newsmen after the meeting, Comrade Ajibade Abiodun lauded the coordinators of the groups in all the 30 local government areas of the state, noting that their drive has increased the number of youths for the West Senatorial District to produce next guber candidate for APC.
His words: “We are made up of six groups and we have been working assiduously to mobilise youths into APC fold, when we come together as coalition now and we realise that we have over 25,000 youths that captured new voters in the state to APC.
“We realised that most of these youth subscribe to our agenda on the basis that guber candidate of our party will emerge from Osun West
Speaking under the theme “West Lokan” , a phrase that means in Yoruba slogan “It’s the turn of the West”, the coordinators, Ademola Rukayat, Michael Idowu, and Samuel Iwolode, stated that since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, Osun West has never produced a governor, despite unwavering support for the APC.
“This cause is not driven by personal vendettas or grievances,” the statement read, “but a clarion call to rectify long standing political imbalances and address the marginalisation that has unjustly affected Osun West for decades.”
They emphasized that the appeal was directed at President Bola Tinubu and Chief Bisi Akande, urging them to intervene and ensure Osun West is given a fair shot at the party’s ticket.
“We respectfully urge them to lend an ear to the earnest appeals of their children from Osun. This moment calls for compassionate leadership and recognition of the vital role Osun West has played within the party,” they added.
The groups warned that the persistent exclusion of Osun West could jeopardize the APC’s chances of reclaiming power from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which currently occupies the state’s Government House.
“The marginalization of Osun West played a significant role in our past electoral defeats,” the statement continued. “Allocating the candidacy to Osun West is undoubtedly the most assured and straightforward strategy to reclaim Osun State.”
They urged party leaders at the national and state levels to take decisive action to ensure equity, fairness, and inclusion in the party’s leadership structure moving forward.
The group later proceeded to the APC Secretariat in Osogbo to formally submit their letter of request.
It was received by Mr. Aremu Tajudeen, Director of Administration and Finance, Osun APC Secretariat.
