ADC Southwest Stakeholders to Aregbesola: Face Petition.Against You, Proxy Press Statements Won’t Save You
The South West leadership caucus of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on the party’s Interim National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, to answer a petition submitted against him, saying proxy press statements will not avail him.
In a statement signed by Hon. Razak Eyiowuawi, Spokesperson for South West ADC Stakeholders, the caucus said critical stakeholders and leaders from the zone submitted the petition in accordance with the constitutional procedures and requirements of the ADC.
The petition, he maintained, was directed to the national leadership of the party for appropriate action.
The caucus faulted a press statement issued by Hon. Akinbowale Omole and “a group of unidentified individuals” who claimed to be leaders of ADC in the South West.
The South West ADC Stakeholders described the statement as “premature and inconsistent with the ADC’s constitutional procedures.”
“Given his assumed position, one would expect him to be familiar with the necessary protocols for addressing formal allegations,” the statement said, adding that “one might question the political credentials of these individuals, particularly as they fail to adhere to established procedures.”
The group said allegations had been made against Ogbeni Aregbesola and that “allowing him the opportunity to defend himself would be a civilized approach, provided the petition is properly filed in accordance with the ADC constitution.”
It accused the Omole group of being “eager to obscure their numerous transgressions and those of their political mentor.”
The stakeholders listed the following nine points:
*1.* “Hon. Akinbowale Omole may have lost touch with reality, potentially due to the repercussions of the recent Ekiti governorship election loss.”
*2.* “The claim of this group calling themselves leaders of ADC in the South West is laughable and distorts the truth and facts in clear terms of misrepresentation. It does not accurately represent who they really are.”
The statement cited examples: “During the membership revalidation and registration exercise, they manipulated the process through their mentor, Ogbeni Aregbesola. Consequently, Ekiti State registered only 1,097 members, while Osun State registered 3,470 members, despite receiving registration materials on credit, the repayment of which remains uncertain.”
It added: “These individuals managed the Ekiti governorship primary election where they disregarded all democratic procedures as outlined in the ADC constitution, skewing and manipulating the primary in favour of a less viable candidate. The results of the Ekiti governorship election reflect a dismal performance, with our party securing only 3 percent of the total valid votes.”
*3.* “These individuals and their mentor specialize in manipulation, deception, and grandstanding. The public should remain vigilant regarding their tactics.”
*4.* “Hon. Akinbowale Omole was never appointed as National Vice Chairman, nor was anyone mentioned in their press statement appointed to the South West Zone Executive Committee.”
*5.* “The only recognized South West Zone Executive Committee is led by Hon. Abdulraman Owokoniran, and there have been no objections raised against the emergence of this committee.”
*6.* “The establishment of a parallel executive committee does not constitute a legitimate objection to the previously concluded actions; rather, it represents a rebellion and a violation of the party’s constitution. We are unaware of any protest letter submitted by these individuals requesting the derecognition of the Owokoniran-led executive committee. So, they cannot validly lay claim to any office. Such claims lack validity in law and are illegal.”
*7.* “In their press statement, they falsely claimed that the list of party candidates was ratified by the National Executive Committee (NEC). This assertion is misleading; the NEC meeting on May 30, 2026, only approved the validity of the State Houses of Assembly, National Assembly, governorship, and presidential primary elections. Please note, the approval of the process is distinct from the ratification of the candidate list; these two concepts are not synonymous in context or semantics.”
The caucus alleged that “Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola should come out clean on how he issued an authorized letter on 14th July 2026 to mislead INEC and tamper with the system in order to upload about 70% placeholders who never bought the party’s nomination, thereby denying those legitimate candidates who participated in the valid primary elections monitored by INEC across the South West Zone.”
*8.* For avoidance of doubt, the statement listed the recognized leadership caucus of the South West Zone as:
Alhaji Mohammad Ashorobi (Lagos); Prof. Olatunji Olateju (Lagos); Prof. Aderemi Adedibu (Oyo State); Chief Alani Opaleye (Ogun State); Chief Ibini Meshak (Ondo State); Prof. Kolapo Olusola-Eleka (Ekiti State); Senator Felix Ogunwale (Osun State); Engineer Olajide Adeniji (Osun State); Hon. Ilesanmi Omolayo (Chairman, Ekiti State); Alhaji Yinka Olona (Chairman, Oyo State); Otunba Sesan Soluade (Chairman, Ogun State); Hon. Eyiowuawi Razak; Alhaja Sidikatu Ganiyu; and Amb. Babatunde Oke.
*9.* “Any group claiming leadership of the South West Zone other than these esteemed leaders should be regarded as a political contrivance associated with the Omoluabi Progressive faction of Ogbeni Aregbesola, and the public should exercise caution regarding their claims.”
The stakeholders said the petition against Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has been submitted to the appropriate national authorities, “including our presidential candidate and his running mate, for necessary action.”
“We urge our members and the legitimate party candidates across the South West states to remain calm. By process and procedure, we are confident we will be vindicated. We are aligned with the law, and the law is on our side. All usurped mandates will be reclaimed,” the statement concluded.
The leadership said the ADC in the South West “is characterized by integrity and a profound commitment to democratic organization and procedures — not shenanigans.”
