Loyalists aligned with former minister Rauf Aregbesola have undertaken a significant rebranding effort within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun state. This faction, formerly known by another name, has now adopted the moniker “Omoluabi caucus.”
In addition to this rebranding, the group has officially distanced itself from a subset of their members. Approximately seventy-nine individuals who were appointed as caretaker committee members for local government areas across the state by Governor Ademola Adeleke have been disowned by the Omoluabi caucus.
This development comes on the heels of the Aregbesola loyalists’ previous opposition to the reelection of former governor Adegboyega Oyetola. The faction, originally named “The Osun Progressives (TOP),” stood against Oyetola’s return to office.
Notably, the Aregbesola loyalists’ faction was dissolved in December 2023 under the leadership of Najeem Salam, the former speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly.
Recent updates indicate that Adelowo Adebiyi, the chairman of the now-defunct faction, issued a statement on Thursday announcing the group’s new identity as the “Omoluabi caucus.” This rebranding signals a new phase for Aregbesola’s supporters within the APC in Osun state, highlighting their renewed focus and direction.
The statement reads: “We wish to state that whosoever that has been appointed into political offices by the Adeleke’s administration got such, practically on his or her individual’s connection and influence, and not on behalf of Omoluabi, or as compensation for defunct The Osun Progress (TOP) or Omoluabi caucus.
“We restated unequivocally that at no time did the defunct TOP enter into any agreement with the PDP to work for it; which might warrant the erroneous compensation as being falsely spread by the mischief makers. Those who feel strongly about their individual interests couldn’t be stopped from pursuing such, hence the situation whereby some of them accepted to serve in the PDP government.
He noted that: “We restate our commitment to the APC. On behalf of our Patron, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, we thank all those who had been steadfast and absolutely loyal within our tendency and urge all members to start the mobilisation work of politicians and voters in earnest for the APC, our party ahead of future elections.”
