Oyebamiji’s Tinubu Meeting Signals APC’s Next Move After Osun Defeat

Oyebamiji’s Tinubu Meeting Signals APC’s Next Move After Osun Defeat

The All Progressives Congress (APC) may be entering a new phase of post-election assessment in Osun State following a meeting between the party’s governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, and President Bola Tinubu in Abuja.

Oyebamiji met with Tinubu at the Presidential Villa on Friday, days after losing the Osun governorship election to incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke. The meeting was his first known engagement with the President since the poll and came as the APC weighs its response to the election outcome.

Rather than immediately conceding defeat, Oyebamiji said the APC was still examining the election results before deciding on its next course of action. He indicated that the party would communicate its position after completing its review.

The APC candidate also used the opportunity to appeal for calm among his supporters and residents of Osun, stressing that political disagreements should not degenerate into violence.

His remarks come against the backdrop of reports of attacks involving some APC supporters in his hometown of Ikire. Oyebamiji said security agencies had been informed about the incident and urged Governor Adeleke to caution his supporters against actions that could further inflame tensions.

The election produced a significant setback for the APC, with Adeleke securing 511,067 votes against Oyebamiji’s 444,815. Adeleke won in 19 local government areas, while Oyebamiji carried 11.

The timing of Oyebamiji’s visit is also noteworthy. Adeleke had met Tinubu a day earlier after receiving his certificate of return, using the occasion to commend the President for what he described as allowing a free and fair election. Tinubu, in turn, urged the returning governor to demonstrate magnanimity and promote peace and unity in the state.

For the APC, Oyebamiji’s meeting with Tinubu therefore comes at a critical point. Beyond the immediate question of whether the party will accept the election result, attention is likely to turn to how it rebuilds its structure in Osun following the defeat.

For now, Oyebamiji has maintained a cautious position, asking supporters to remain peaceful while the party studies the results. His comments suggest that the APC’s next move in Osun could depend largely on the findings of that review.