Osun PDP, APC Clash Over National Crisis Impact

The ongoing crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the national level has sparked a heated exchange between the Osun State chapters of the PDP and the All Progressives Congress (APC). The dispute centers on the suspension and counter‑suspension of key members of the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) and has raised concerns about its potential impact on the upcoming August 8, 2026, governorship election in Osun State.

According to Hezekiah Oladele Bamiji, the Osun PDP’s Director of Media and Publicity, the party remains united and focused on delivering democratic dividends despite the challenges facing its national leadership. In contrast, Kola Olabisi, the APC’s Director of Media and Information, argued that the recent developments are evidence of the PDP’s complete collapse.

The crisis began when the PDP’s NWC suspended several top officials, including National Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu, National Organising Secretary Umar Bature, and National Legal Adviser Kamaldeen Ajibade. In response, a faction loyal to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike retaliated by suspending Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum and five other NWC members.

The Osun PDP dismissed the APC’s claim that it had halted all meetings at the state and local government levels, describing such assertions as “a mere fabrication.” Bamiji affirmed that the party remains solid and focused on its goals, adding that no amount of “falsehood or mischievous propaganda” from the opposition can shake its foundation.

Conversely, Olabisi insisted that the unfolding crisis vindicates the APC’s earlier position that the ruling party in Osun is plagued by internal division and mismanagement. He urged supporters to be discerning in their political choices, noting that a party unable to manage its internal affairs should not be entrusted with governing the state.

The developments have significant implications for the upcoming governorship election, with the APC seizing on the crisis as evidence of the PDP’s inability to govern effectively. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains uncertain how the crisis will affect the PDP’s chances in the election and the party’s future at the national level.