Hon. Rotimi Makinde, former member of the House of Representatives and a prominent APC chieftain from Osun State, has sounded a loud and urgent call to his party's leadership: unify now or risk losing Osun again in 2026.
In a revealing interview with select media, Makinde—who once served as Deputy Chairman of the Human Rights Committee in the 7th Assembly and was a founding voice in the South-West Agenda for Asiwaju (SWAGA)—said the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government led by Governor Ademola Adeleke is "ripe for defeat," but only if the APC gets its act together.
“Osun is an easy grab,” Makinde declared. “But our party leadership must rise to the challenge. The people want the APC back, they are tired of this current charade, but we cannot afford to go into another election as a divided house.”
He lamented that under Governor Adeleke, governance in the state has taken a nosedive. “There is no governance in Osun State. Adeleke is not in charge. His government has been hijacked. Democracy dividends are nowhere to be found and the few that exist are being shared unjustly.”
Makinde, however, emphasized that unity alone is not enough—the APC leadership must also act decisively and speak clearly to guide the political direction. “This silence is dangerous,” he warned. “The leadership should boldly make pronouncements. We cannot allow ambitions to cause chaos again. We have qualified gladiators; let them know their positions now.”
He named several APC stalwarts as viable contenders for the governorship, including Alhaji Bola Oyebamiji, Senator Iyiola Omisore, Benedict Alabi, Senator Babajide Omoworare, Dotun Babayemi, and Senator Ajibola Basiru—each, according to him, possessing the clout, capacity, and credibility to wrest power from the PDP if properly positioned.
Turning to the national scene, Makinde defended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the rising insecurity in the country, urging Nigerians not to treat the menace of kidnapping and terrorism as a burden exclusive to the current administration.
“This war didn’t start today,” he said. “It’s a national crisis, and we must stop blaming the sitting government alone. What we are facing, especially in the North, is not just local crime—it’s a foreign invasion masquerading as banditry. Until we see it as a tactical re-colonisation attempt, we won’t handle it with the seriousness it demands.”
On the recent State of Emergency declared in Rivers State, Makinde described it as constitutional, necessary, and timely. “Mr. President was proactive. He couldn’t fold his hands and watch chaos consume the state. Peace must be restored, and if the emergency rule achieves that quickly, then it need not last six months.”
Makinde’s message to his party was clear and urgent: “The time to act is now. Delay, silence, or indecision could cost us Osun—and much more.”