Osun APC Denies Viral Claims of President Tinubu Supporting Governor Adeleke’s Incumbency Following Ogunbiyi Controversy

Osun APC and party elders deny claims that President Tinubu supports Governor Adeleke, labeling the viral video of Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi as distorted.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 20, 2026, 8:50 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from The Sun Nigeria

Controversy Sparks Over Alleged Presidential Endorsement

A political firestorm has erupted in Osun State following claims made by Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi, an APC senatorial aspirant for Osun West, regarding President Bola Tinubu’s stance on the state's governorship. In a video that has since gone viral, Ogunbiyi purportedly quoted the President as expressing a preference for the incumbent, Governor Ademola Adeleke of the PDP, to remain in office. The claim suggested that Tinubu viewed Adeleke as a candidate who could "make things easy" for the administration, sparking immediate pushback from within the APC ranks.

APC Labels Video as Distorted Misinformation

The APC’s Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, issued a stern statement on Monday urging the public to disregard the footage. Olabisi characterized the video as a "selective and distorted clip" manipulated by political actors from the Accord Party and supporters of Governor Adeleke. He clarified that while Ogunbiyi is a credible party leader, the circulated snippet intentionally omitted the portion of the meeting where Ogunbiyi pledged his unwavering loyalty to the APC’s official governorship candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO).

Elders Council Condemns "Unguided" Statements

The Igbimo Agba, the APC’s council of elders in Osun State, has also weighed in, describing the comments attributed to Ogunbiyi as "untoward and highly unguided." In a statement released by Chairman Sola Akinwumi, the elders emphasized that the purported comments contradict the actual events of the meeting with the President. They warned party members against making public statements that could be easily misconstrued, reminding the rank and file that strict adherence to party guidelines is mandatory.