APC Congress Deepens Cracks in Ogbomoso Zone

The just-concluded APC congress in Ogbomoso zone was expected to serve as a rallying point for unity and consolidation. Instead, it has laid bare the deep-seated divisions that continue to shape the internal politics of the ruling party in the zone.

What played out across the local governments was less of consensus-building and more of a contest for dominance among established power blocs. Beneath the surface of official declarations lies a complex web of rivalries, shifting loyalties, and strategic positioning ahead of future political battles.

At the heart of the unfolding drama is the reported friction between Hon. Olamijuwonlo Alao-Akala and the camp of Alhaji Bukola Badmus. Party insiders allege that recent developments amount to a political slight against the Badmus structure, particularly amid growing information that the camp may be aligning behind Hon. Wolekanle in the evolving permutations. Though no formal breakdown has been announced, the tension signals widening cracks among influential stakeholders.

Equally significant is the quiet but consequential power struggle involving Senator Ayo Adeseun and Hon. Dokun Odebunmi (Bunvic). Once regarded as a formidable grassroots mobilizer, Hon. Odebunmi is said to have witnessed a steady migration of loyalists to the camps of Senator Adeseun and Senator Yunus Akintunde. In Surulere and Ogo-Oluwa local governments, key positions reportedly slipped from his control to rival factions, underscoring a notable shift in the balance of power within the party’s structure.

Across Ogbomoso South, Ogbomoso North, and Orire, Senator Fatai Buhari appears to have emerged with strengthened influence. Party sources suggest he secured substantial control of executive positions across the three councils, firmly stamping his authority, particularly within his local government base. Meanwhile, the Hosea Agboola faction reportedly settled for limited ward-level slots—largely minority positions—highlighting the uneven distribution of power among competing interests.

For observers, the larger concern is not who won or lost specific slots, but what the congress reveals about the state of the APC in Ogbomoso zone. Rather than projecting cohesion and readiness for future electoral contests, the exercise has amplified perceptions of factional entrenchment.

As one stakeholder privately remarked, “The party won positions, but did it win unity?”

With political calculations already tilting toward upcoming contests, the congress may have set the tone for an extended period of strategic maneuvering. Unless deliberate reconciliation efforts are pursued, the divisions exposed during the exercise could further complicate the party’s prospects in the zone.

For now, one thing is clear: beneath the surface of party structures in Ogbomoso lies a political chessboard still very much in play.