Tinubu–Adeleke Alliance: Reported Osun APC Power-Sharing Deal Raises Questions Ahead of 2027

Osun State’s political landscape is undergoing a significant realignment following Governor Ademola Adeleke’s emergence as coordinator of President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign in the state. A new report by LEADERSHIP alleges that negotiations facilitated by the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, could reshape the distribution of political influence within the All-Progressives Congress (APC).

What the reported agreement involves

According to LEADERSHIP’s report by Olusola Fabiyi and Joshua Dada, the proposed arrangement would give Adeleke a leading role in coordinating Tinubu’s presidential campaign in Osun while redistributing influence among rival APC factions. The report attributes the details to sources familiar with the negotiations; the full terms have not been independently established.

The main reported elements include:

• Campaign leadership: Adeleke is to coordinate the coalition supporting Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid in Osun.
• Political appointments: The arrangement reportedly gives Adeleke a greater role in nominations for federal appointments.
• Local government representation: The report says Adeleke’s camp would nominate chairpersons in 20 of Osun’s 30 local government areas, while the camps associated with Gboyega Oyetola, Iyiola Omisore and Ajibola Basiru would share the remaining 10.
• Legal settlement: The parties are reportedly considering an out-of-court resolution of the protracted dispute over control of local government councils.

These details remain attributed to sources cited by LEADERSHIP and should not be treated as a publicly verified agreement.

Why Adeleke’s position matters

Adeleke belongs to the Accord Party, not the APC. His appointment to lead Tinubu’s campaign therefore creates an unusual political arrangement in which a governor elected on another party’s platform is helping mobilise support for the president’s re-election.

Premium Times reported on October 13 that Adeleke had been named Osun coordinator of Tinubu’s presidential campaign. It also reported that former governor Adebisi Akande and Omisore were included as advisers, while Oyetola was absent from the published campaign structure.

The arrangement could strengthen cooperation between the Presidency and Osun’s governing administration. However, it has also exposed differences over consultation, party leadership and the distribution of political influence.

The Oyetola factor and internal APC tensions

Oyetola, a former Osun governor and serving Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, has been a major figure in the state APC. The reported redistribution of appointments and local government nominations could reduce the influence his political camp previously exercised.

The disagreement is not simply about who leads the presidential campaign. It also concerns who influences candidate selection, political appointments and the party’s organisation ahead of future elections.

According to LEADERSHIP, several prominent APC figures were absent when Adeleke inaugurated the presidential campaign council on October 22. The state party had also complained that it had not been adequately briefed about the initiative.

Those absences are evidence of reported disagreements over the process, but they do not, by themselves, establish that all the absent politicians oppose Tinubu’s re-election.

Has Adeleke agreed to join the APC?

A possible defection remains a matter of speculation.

LEADERSHIP reports that sources expect Adeleke to consider joining the APC after the elections. However, the report does not establish that he has formally agreed to defect.

There is also an important counterpoint. In August, Adeleke’s campaign team rejected claims that his support for Tinubu resulted from a pre-arranged political bargain. The governor had said his support was motivated by the President’s performance and his interest in federal projects in the South-West.

Consequently, his cooperation with the APC-led presidential campaign should not automatically be interpreted as proof of an agreement to change parties.

The local government dispute

The proposed political realignment is also connected to Osun’s long-running local government dispute.

PUNCH reported on October 18 that the Presidency and the Osun State Government were working towards a negotiated settlement, with a committee led by Gbajabiamila involved in developing a framework. A state government spokesperson confirmed that negotiations were being pursued but said the legal and political issues were complicated.

Any settlement would have implications beyond party relations. The legal status of council officials, control of local government administration and the handling of public funds are matters that require lawful resolution, not merely a political understanding between influential figures.

A negotiated settlement would therefore need to be assessed against its actual terms and the relevant court proceedings.

Implications for the 2027 elections

The alliance raises three important questions.

First, can the coalition maintain internal unity? Bringing together politicians with competing interests may broaden campaign participation, but disagreements over appointments and leadership could undermine cooperation.

Second, will the arrangement extend beyond the presidential election? PUNCH reported on October 24 that Adeleke had said the alliance was limited to Tinubu’s re-election campaign and would not extend to legislative elections. That distinction matters because cooperation over one contest does not necessarily mean the parties will support one another in every election.

Third, how will voters assess the arrangement? Voters may judge the alliance by its implications for governance, federal-state cooperation, local government administration and accountability. Political leaders’ agreements do not replace the electorate’s right to make independent choices.

Note:

The reported negotiations point to a potential redistribution of political influence within Osun’s APC, with Adeleke taking a central role in Tinubu’s 2027 presidential campaign despite belonging to the Accord Party.

The proposed sharing of local government nominations, appointments and influence could alter relationships among Adeleke, Oyetola, Omisore and Basiru. Yet the reported terms have not been independently confirmed in full, and Adeleke’s possible defection to the APC remains unconfirmed.

The central issue is whether this emerging alliance will produce a transparent resolution of Osun’s political and local government disputes—or remain primarily an arrangement for managing competing political interests ahead of 2027.

The distinction will become clearer through official announcements, published settlement terms, court records and the subsequent actions of the parties involved.

Sources and further reading

LEADERSHIP: Secret Deals Behind Tinubu’s Move To Hand Osun APC To Gov Adeleke