The political landscape in Osun State witnessed a major shift on Monday as the sitting senator representing Osun Central Senatorial District, Olubiyi Fadeyi, lost the senatorial ticket of the All Progressives Congress to prominent Osogbo-born legal practitioner, Kunle Adegoke.
The outcome of the APC senatorial primary has generated widespread reactions among party members and political stakeholders across the state, particularly because Fadeyi is a serving senator who only recently joined the APC after being elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 general elections.
Fadeyi, popularly known as Ajagunla and an indigene of Ila-Orangun, had secured his Senate seat under the PDP before defecting to the APC in 2024 alongside five other members of the National Assembly.
His defection at the time was viewed as a major political boost for the APC in Osun State, especially in Osun Central where the party sought to consolidate its influence ahead of future elections.
However, the latest primary outcome appears to have altered those calculations, with delegates and party stakeholders opting for Adegoke as the party’s preferred candidate for the senatorial district.
Although official vote figures from the exercise were yet to be fully released at the time of reporting, party sources confirmed that Adegoke emerged victorious after securing overwhelming support from delegates during the primary election.
The development is seen by many observers as one of the most significant upsets in the ongoing APC primary elections in the state.
Adegoke is widely known within political and legal circles in Osun State and beyond. The legal luminary had previously contested for the APC governorship ticket in 2024 but was disqualified during the screening process, a development that eventually paved the way for the emergence of Bola Oyebamiji, popularly known as AMBO, as the party’s governorship candidate.
Despite his earlier setback, Adegoke remained active within the party and continued consultations with stakeholders across Osun Central, strengthening his political base ahead of the latest contest.
Political analysts believe his emergence reflects growing support for his influence within the APC structure, particularly among members seeking a fresh political direction in the senatorial district.
Supporters of Adegoke celebrated the outcome shortly after the announcement, describing his victory as a triumph of perseverance, grassroots mobilisation and loyalty to the party.
Many of his loyalists also argued that his longstanding involvement with the APC played a role in his acceptance among delegates during the primary process.
On the other hand, the defeat of Senator Fadeyi has sparked discussions regarding the political future of defecting lawmakers and the challenges they often face in securing acceptance within new political platforms.
Some party insiders suggested that resistance from longstanding APC loyalists may have contributed to the outcome of the primary, despite Fadeyi’s status as a serving senator.
Others, however, maintained that the election was competitive and reflected the democratic choices of party delegates.
The primary election is expected to have significant implications for political alignments in Osun Central Senatorial District ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The district, regarded as one of the most politically strategic zones in Osun State, has traditionally witnessed intense competition among major political parties.
Analysts say the APC leadership will likely focus on reconciling aggrieved factions following the primary in order to avoid internal divisions capable of weakening the party before the general election.
The emergence of Adegoke also adds another layer to the evolving political dynamics within the Osun APC, where several influential figures continue to jostle for dominance ahead of future electoral contests.
Party stakeholders have repeatedly called on aspirants and their supporters to accept the outcomes of the primaries peacefully and work together in the interest of party unity.
While Senator Fadeyi has yet to publicly react to his defeat, political observers are closely monitoring developments to see whether the outcome could trigger further political realignments within the state.
The APC leadership in Osun State has consistently maintained that its primaries are aimed at producing credible candidates capable of strengthening the party’s chances at the polls.
For Kunle Adegoke, the victory marks a major political comeback after his earlier governorship disappointment and positions him as one of the prominent APC figures heading into the next election cycle in Osun State.
