The Centre Can’t Hold Again Between Aregbesola, Akande and Tinubu

When hope festers, do hearts bleed? Indeed, it appears so for some in the report that a significant rift is emerging between Rauf Aregbesola, former governor of Osun State, and the influential political figures President Bola Tinubu and Chief Bisi Akande. This growing discord has culminated in Aregbesola launching a new faction, the Omoluabi Progressives Caucus, signalling his intent to reshape the political landscape of Osun ahead of the 2026 governorship race.

The rift appears to have stemmed from Aregbesola’s increasing disillusionment with the leadership of President Tinubu and Chief Akande, a leading figure of the Osun State All Progressives Congress (APC). Aregbesola, who once stood firmly by their side, now allegedly feels marginalised and believes that the leadership has strayed from the principles he holds dear.

While the exact origin of the issues is complex and multifaceted, it appears that Aregbesola initiated the public display of discontent. His formation of the Omoluabi Progressives Caucus and the symbolic removal of Tinubu and Akande’s images from his political headquarters demonstrate his apparent dissatisfaction and determination to carve out his own political path.

The seriousness of the allegedly impending split cannot be understated. It represents a fundamental division within the APC in Osun, with Aregbesola’s Omoluabi Group poised to challenge the mainstream faction led by former governor Gboyega Oyetola. The implications are significant in Osun APC.

APC members in the State have ample reason to be concerned. The internal discord threatens to undermine the party’s cohesion and effectiveness in Osun State. The rivalry between Aregbesola’s faction and Oyetola’s mainstream group could lead to infighting and a loss of focus on the broader political objectives. If unresolved, this rift could diminish the APC’s chances of reclaiming the governorship, and give the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) an advantage in the upcoming 2026 governorship race.

So, in the face of these implications, how much of the problem is a matter of festered hope and how much is about a man’s pride? Maybe they are the same. Whichever the case, Osun APC could be in for a long and difficult ride come 2026.