Music, Politics

Oshiomhole Reveals Why APC Governors Opposed His Leadership

Published by Samuel Ayomide on March 11th, 2026.

Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has disclosed that certain governors within the ruling party opposed his continued leadership because they believed he would impose Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the party’s presidential candidate ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Oshiomhole, who currently represents Edo North in the Senate, made the remarks during an interview on 60 Minutes with Mr Kay on News Central TV, where he reflected on the challenges he faced during his tenure as the party’s national chairman.

According to him, his time in office was largely defined by efforts to uphold the party’s constitution and ensure that internal party primaries were conducted transparently and in accordance with established rules.

“Some people wanted me to operate using their own style of politics, but I couldn’t do that,” Oshiomhole said. “I come from a labour background and a democratic tradition where what matters is not personal power but the number of votes.”

He explained that disagreements with some governors arose because they questioned his authority to enforce party rules, especially when their actions were seen to contradict decisions taken by the National Working Committee (NWC).

The former Edo State governor cited an incident involving the then governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, who he said refused to comply with the party’s guidelines during the conduct of governorship primaries in the state.

According to Oshiomhole, the APC conducted its official primary election which produced Dapo Abiodun as the party’s candidate. However, Amosun allegedly organized a parallel primary and backed candidates under another political platform.

He stated that the party leadership rejected the alternative process and upheld the outcome of the officially recognized primary election.

Oshiomhole further alleged that Amosun subsequently supported candidates of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) during the election. After gathering evidence that the former governor was campaigning against the APC, the National Working Committee issued him a query which, according to Oshiomhole, went unanswered.

He said the development eventually led to Amosun’s suspension in line with the party’s constitution.

The former APC chairman added that some governors later admitted to him that their opposition to his leadership stemmed from fears that he would use his position to influence the party’s presidential nomination in favour of Tinubu, who was then a key leader within the APC.

Reflecting on the political developments that followed, Oshiomhole noted that leadership outcomes often reflect circumstances beyond personal ambitions.

“What people eventually become in life is not always about what they pray for, but what God has destined for them,” he said.