By Michael Ofulue, Osogbo

The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has issued a stern warning to its executives at all levels, prohibiting them from openly supporting or promoting any governorship aspirant ahead of the 2026 governorship election.

The State Chairman of the party, Mr. Lawal Sooko, gave the directive on Saturday in Osogbo, the state capital, during a strategic meeting with embattled local government chairmen and APC chairmen across the state.

Sooko, while addressing the gathering, said the warning was part of efforts by the party leadership to instill discipline, ensure unity, and promote internal harmony within the party structure ahead of the forthcoming polls.

He noted that it was wrong and unacceptable for titled members of the party to act as agents of division by engaging in campaigns for their preferred aspirants, insisting that such acts threaten the unity and strength of the party.

“Any executive member of our party at all levels, be it unit, ward, local government, senatorial, or even national is disallowed from coordinating or campaigning for any governorship aspirant,” Sooko declared.

He added that the increasing altercations and name-calling among party members who ought to be working in unity were becoming embarrassing and unacceptable, warning that the party would not hesitate to wield the “big stick” on erring members.

“There is a need to perpetuate injection of sanity into our party. The altercations oozing out from the members of the same political family all in the guise of selling their preferred candidates are worrisome, embarrassing and less dignifying,” he said.

“Those of us who are guilty in this regard should do self-inspection with a view to turning over a new leaf, as the party would not hesitate to wield a big stick on any of our members who crosses the red line about this golden directive meant for the fortification of our party before next year’s governorship election.”

The APC chairman stressed that the party was yet to release any guideline for the conduct of the governorship primaries, adding that when the time comes, the process would be open, transparent and accessible to all aspirants and members.

“It becomes imperative for the aspirants to call their foot soldiers and supporters to order and educate them on how important it is for them to play the game according to the rules. Any recalcitrant agent may end up being a source of political despair to his principal,” he warned.

“The cacophonous noise is too deafening and causing avoidable disaffection within the party and we would not be doing our party any good if we should close our eyes to it, as it is inimical to the wellbeing of the party.”

While emphasising the party’s readiness to clinch victory in the next governorship election, Sooko reiterated that no individual is bigger than the party and that its supremacy remains non-negotiable.

“We are going into the next year’s governorship election to win. No one is greater than the party. Whoever contravenes the directive of the party would be sanctioned. The supremacy of the party is non-negotiable. Our party has not anointed any aspirant as our candidate,” he declared.

He urged the local government and ward executives to take the message back to their constituencies and ensure strict compliance with the directive.

“Go home and relay the party’s directive to the affected individuals. Let’s play the game according to the rule. It is not proper for co-aspirants to engage in abusing each other and subsequently creating needless division in the party,” he added.

While describing the growing number of aspirants in the APC as a sign of its internal democracy and popularity, he cautioned against allowing the situation to derail the party’s goal of reclaiming power in the state.

“Though it is necessary to point out that the copious number of the striving governorship aspirants in our party is an indication that our party is potent, healthy and truly democratic, let’s not overstretch our luck in order to achieve our political goal of sending the ruling government packing by the way of next year’s governorship poll,” Sooko said.

The meeting ended with a renewed commitment from party stakeholders to maintain discipline, promote unity, and work towards a successful electoral outing in 2026.