BY FRONTLINE RE[PORTERS
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has suffered another setback following the resignation of three prominent party chieftains and former members of the State House of Assembly.
The former lawmakers — Lekan Oyediran, Aleem Bakare and Folorunso Oladoyin — formally resigned their membership of the APC through separate letters addressed to their respective local government party chairmen.
While Bakare cited a lack of internal democracy within the party as the reason for his departure, Oyediran and Oladoyin did not disclose specific reasons in their resignation letters.
The development has heightened concerns over deepening cracks within the Osun APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Oyediran represented Odo Otin State Constituency in the Osun State House of Assembly between 1999 and 2003, while Bakare served as the representative of Ejigbo State Constituency from 2003 to 2007. Oladoyin represented Ife South State Constituency between 2011 and 2019 and later served as Commissioner for Education under the administration of former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola.
Bakare also held the position of Special Adviser on Land Matters during Oyetola’s administration.
The three former lawmakers are widely regarded as close political associates of Iyiola Omisore, who has maintained a low profile within the party since the conclusion of the APC governorship primary in December 2025.
However, the spokesperson for the Omisore Campaign Organisation, Jamiu Olawumi, dismissed suggestions that the resignations signaled an imminent exit by Omisore from the APC.
According to Olawumi, although the departing politicians were close allies of Omisore, they acted independently and were not directed by the former deputy governor to leave the party.
He argued that the former lawmakers may have concluded that their political ambitions could no longer be achieved within the APC.
“The anxiety is unfounded and baseless,” Olawumi said, insisting that Omisore remains committed to the party despite recent internal disagreements.
He further noted that some of the defectors had also been closely associated with Oyetola, suggesting that their departures should not be interpreted solely through the prism of Omisore’s political influence.
Reacting to the resignations, Osun APC spokesperson Kola Olabisi downplayed the significance of the development, describing it as a normal exercise of democratic rights.
Olabisi maintained that the party was not under pressure and had, in recent months, welcomed several high-profile politicians from opposition parties, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He pointed to the defection of notable political figures, including Senators and members of the House of Representatives, as evidence that the APC remained attractive to political stakeholders in the state.
“In a democracy, there is free entry and free exit,” Olabisi said, stressing that no individual could be prevented from exercising the constitutional right to associate with any political party of their choice.
Despite the defections, the APC leadership in Osun insists the party remains focused on strengthening its structure and preparing for future electoral contests, while political observers continue to monitor developments within the state’s increasingly competitive political landscape
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2026-06-04
