Osun loss: APC stalwarts sabotaged selves while ignoring Tinubu’s gains – Onoh

Former southeast spokesman to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Chairman of the Forum of Former Members of Enugu State House of Assembly, Denge Josef Onoh, has blamed some leaders within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the party's loss in the recent election. The incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke won the gubernatorial race with 511,067 votes compared to Bola Oyebamiji's 444,815 votes for the APC.

In a statement to journalists, Onoh dismissed accusations of the EFCC and the freezing of Osun state bank accounts as weak and deflection-focused narratives. He emphasized that the real reason for the APC's loss was internal sabotage and undemocratic behavior from the party's own members. Onoh highlighted the failure of APC stalwarts to leverage President Tinubu's achievements and tangible gains, which he believed would have swayed voters.

He criticized the party members for remaining silent about President Tinubu's successful policies, including democratic dividends, infrastructure development, economic reforms, and local government autonomy. Instead, party leaders chose to focus on internal grievances, thus abandoning the President's successful scorecard. Onoh also blamed factionalism within the party, stating that high-ranking members deliberately divided the state chapter to fight a war against the incumbent administration.

He condemned the open anti-party activities and double-dealing of prominent leaders who withdrew their support from the party's candidate in several local government areas. Onoh stated that these insiders actively funded, campaigned for, or instructed their structures to vote for the opposition party, diluting the party's strength.

He also accused party members of attempting to de-market the party's candidate by manufacturing narratives of incompetence and unpopularity. On the election day, Onoh alleged that key local leaders intentionally suppressed voter turnout by withholding logistics, refusing to deploy canvassers, and abandoning polling units. He emphasized that the EFCC does not cast ballots or manage political campaigns, and President Tinubu ensured a level playing field in the election.