The Organising Secretary of Omoluabi Progressives, a political group aligned with the National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, Rauf Aregbesola, Oluwaseun Abosede, has said that an APC alliance will not save Governor Ademola Adeleke from defeat in 2026.
He recently had his say amid the perceived political tension between the Osun State Governor and Aregbesola.
Speaking during an interview with PunchNG, he revealed that Aregbesola has always maintained a cordial relationship with everyone in politics, including Adeleke, but they stopped sharing a political common ground after Adeleke left the APC.
According to him, Adeleke took advantage of the internal dispute between Governor Oyetola and Ogbeni in the past, and the rift led to Oyetola and his camp completely sidelining Ogbeni and his loyalists from the APC’s political structure.
He stated that beyond their perceived friendship, there has never been any real alliance between them.
“Well, Ogbeni never really had issues with anyone—politicians or businessmen. He maintains a cordial relationship with everyone, or at least with anyone willing to associate or work with him, as long as such engagement aligns with pro-people interests. That extends to Governor Ademola Adeleke too. However, they’ve never shared any political common ground since Adeleke left the APC a long time ago.
Of course, Adeleke did benefit from the internal rift between Governor Oyetola and Ogbeni within the APC at the time. The fallout was so severe that Oyetola and his camp completely sidelined Ogbeni and his loyalists from the party’s political structure. As a result, Ogbeni’s followers either adopted a “sit down and look” posture or defected to the PDP.
In the end, this situation helped clear the path for Adeleke’s victory at the polls. Beyond that perceived camaraderie, there was never any real alliance between them. That was in 2022,” he said.
Responding to reports that Rauf threatened to oust Adeleke in the 2026 election, Oluwaseun Abosede noted that Aregbesola only vowed to take back Osun State in two years’ time.
He concluded by saying that the harmless statement immediately threw the Adeleke political camp into panic, which led to Governor Adeleke attacking Aregbesola needlessly.
“A few days ago—specifically on Sunday, July 13th, 2025—members of the Omoluabi Progressives in Osun State, alongside ADC members and well-wishers, trooped out in their thousands to welcome Ogbeni back home following his appointment as the Interim National Secretary of the ADC.
In his speech, as expected, he made a promise to do everything within his capacity to “take back Osun in 2026.” And if I may add, that’s not a threat—it’s exactly what we intend to do, by the grace of God and through deliberate, grassroots engagement with the people.
This declaration immediately sent shockwaves through the Adeleke political dynasty, throwing them into panic. Governor Adeleke himself betrayed this panic through the series of unfounded and negative attacks he launched against Ogbeni,” he added.
