President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday night met with leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and governorship aspirants from Osun State, urging them to embrace unity and consensus-building ahead of the party’s primary election scheduled for December 13.
The meeting, held at the State House in Abuja, brought together key aspirants vying for the APC governorship ticket in Osun State. Those in attendance included former Deputy Governor Benedict Olugboyega Alabi, Dotun Babayemi, Akin Ogunbiyi, Senator Babajide Omoworare, Kunle Adegoke (SAN), Babatunde Hareter Oralusi, Mulikat Abiola Jimoh, and Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji.
Top party leaders also joined the meeting, including the National Chairman of the APC, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Governor Hope Uzodimma; and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola.
President Tinubu commended all aspirants for their long-standing contributions and loyalty to the party in Osun State. He urged them to close ranks and avoid the internal rifts that contributed to the APC’s loss in the last governorship election to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Emphasizing party supremacy and cohesion, the President charged the aspirants to support the consensus candidate that will emerge from the party’s internal process.
“You all have a duty and obligation to the party by ensuring the candidate of our party wins the next election in Osun State,” President Tinubu said. “You must strengthen the bonds of unity, party supremacy, and collective responsibility. I have absolute confidence in your ability to deliver victory to our party in Osun State. You have my support and that of the national leadership of the APC to win the coming election.”
At the end of the meeting, a joint declaration was issued and signed by all aspirants and APC leaders present. The statement reaffirmed their commitment to party supremacy, consensus-building, and peaceful participation in the upcoming primary.
Excerpt from the joint declaration reads:
“We, the undersigned aspirants for the 2025 Osun State Governorship Election under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), having met and deliberated in the presence of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and the National Chairman of the APC, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, and in the spirit of unity, discipline, and loyalty to our great party, hereby declare as follows:
- We affirm and uphold the supremacy of the APC in determining the most appropriate process for selecting its flag bearer for the 2025 Osun State Governorship Election.
- We unanimously agree to abide by the party’s decision to nominate a consensus candidate for affirmation at the APC Primary Election scheduled for Saturday, 13th December 2025.
- We accept the outcome of the party-led process in good faith and pledge total support to the nominated candidate.
- We commit to peace, unity, and cohesion within the APC and vow not to engage in any act capable of undermining the integrity of the party or its processes.
- We will work collectively and individually to ensure the success of the APC at the polls and the consolidation of good governance in Osun State.”
The declaration concluded with a reaffirmation of loyalty to the party’s leadership and recognition of President Tinubu’s guidance toward maintaining stability and progress in Osun State.
