Aregbesola’s Ex-Aide, Others Return To APC.

Members of the Blue Movement, a political group linked to former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, have returned to the All Progressives Congress in the state and pledged their support for the party’s governorship candidate for the 2026 election, Bola Oyebamiji.

The group, led by its convener, Wale Alabi, a former Senior Special Assistant to Aregbesola on Regional Integration during his second term, was officially received back into the APC on Wednesday at a rally in Osogbo.

Oyebamiji, alongside other party leaders, welcomed the returning members and urged them to fully reintegrate into the party’s structures, stressing the need for unity and collective effort ahead of the August 8, 2026, governorship election.

Speaking at the rally, Oyebamiji described the return of the Blue Movement as a significant boost to the APC’s growing strength, calling on party members to close ranks.

“The APC is growing stronger. The Blue Movement are our members, and we must work together from the unit level to the ward and state levels,” he said.

He noted that the development reflected renewed unity within the party and increased confidence ahead of the election.

“Today’s gathering is a clear signal of unity and an indication that the APC will win the August 8, 2026, governorship election. The Blue Movement are core APC members. Unfortunately, during the 2022 governorship election, about 6,000 of them stepped aside.

“We pleaded with them at the time, but they chose to stand aside. Today, they have returned and have been fully reinstated. This will greatly boost the APC’s voting strength in Osun State,” Oyebamiji added.

Earlier, Alabi explained that the group never formally left the APC, saying it only aligned with a caucus within the party during a period of internal disagreements.

“We did not leave the APC. We only stepped aside to align with a caucus. Today, we are back to resume full participation in the party,” he said.

Alabi urged voters to return the APC to power in Osun State, arguing that the party remains best positioned to deliver economic growth and development.

He also formally endorsed Oyebamiji’s candidacy, citing his performance in previous public offices.

“We believe in his track record and what he is capable of doing. From the offices he has held, he performed well. We are convinced he is the right person to restore Osun’s economic prosperity. We are here to win Osun back,” Alabi said.

Political observers say the return of the Blue Movement reflects a broader realignment of political forces in Osun State as parties and factions reposition themselves ahead of the 2026 governorship election.

Meanwhile, a former Secretary to the State Government, Moshood Adeoti, has withdrawn from the Omoluabi Progressives, another Aregbesola-aligned caucus operating within the African Democratic Congress in Osun State.

Adeoti’s decision has been linked to his inability to secure sufficient support for his bid to clinch the ADC governorship ticket.