A major rift has emerged within the United Kingdom chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following a controversial endorsement of the party’s National Secretary, Dr Ajibola Basiru, for the 2026 Osun State governorship election.
The endorsement was led by APC UK Chairman, Hon. Tunde Doherty, and Secretary, Dr. Momoh Obaro, who jointly declared their support for Dr. Basiru’s candidacy. The duo also used the occasion to affirm their backing for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign.
However, the declaration has sparked internal backlash, with the chapter’s Deputy Youth Leader, Tunmise Ajiboye, disowning the endorsement. Ajiboye criticized the announcement as misleading and unrepresentative of the collective stance of the APC UK chapter.
According to Ajiboye, although some party members released a video over the weekend aligning with President Tinubu’s agenda, there was no formal meeting or agreement to endorse Dr Basiru’s governorship ambition.
He described the move as a “ruse”. He cautioned against promoting personal political preferences as official party positions, warning that such actions could jeopardize unity within the party and harm its reputation, especially if Dr Basiru does not emerge as the APC’s flagbearer.
Ajiboye urged party members to prioritize transparency and internal democracy in all political declarations and avoid misrepresenting the chapter’s collective voice.
