A political tremor swept through Osun State this week following the widely publicized meeting between Governor Ademola Adeleke and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Lagos. What appeared to be a routine courtesy call has now sent shockwaves through the Osun chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), prompting what some insiders have dramatically described as the opening of the โOsun APC Book of Lamentations.โ
The meeting, held behind closed doors at Bourdillon, caught many APC loyalists off guard. For a governor who was once dismissed by opposition figures as a โdancing clown,โ Adelekeโs quiet political maneuvering has now taken center stage and the optics are clearly unsettling for the embattled Osun APC.
Sources close to the Presidency describe the meeting as โstrategic,โ with discussions reportedly ranging from federal-state collaboration to future political alignments. While no official statement has been released regarding the agenda, political observers believe the implications are far-reaching especially with the 2026 governorship election looming.
Panic in the Ranks
Following news of the meeting, activity within the Osun APC spiked but not in celebration. According to party insiders, confusion and panic rippled through local leadership circles. Meetings were hastily convened, phone lines lit up, and long-dormant WhatsApp groups suddenly sprang back to life.
Social media amplified the shock. Memes flooded timelines, mocking the APCโs apparent disarray. One viral post showed Adeleke holding a mock book titled โHow to Turn Opposition Tears into Presidential Cheers.โ
A Book No One Wants to Read
For critics within the APC, the situation resembles a slow unraveling of influence. What party loyalists once viewed as a brief political setback has now snowballed into what some are calling a โcrisis of confidence.โ
The phrase โBook of Lamentationsโ once a sarcastic jab from PDP supporters has now been embraced, albeit reluctantly, by APC insiders to describe their string of electoral losses and internal disunity in Osun.
New โchaptersโ are jokingly being added by political commentators online, including:
Chapter 5: When Your Opponent Dines Where You Beg for Appointments
Chapter 6: The Governor We Mocked Is Now Meeting the Kingmaker
Chapter 7: PDP Smiles, APC Cries A Southern Hymn
One former APC lawmaker lamented the shift in political dynamics, saying, โHow can a sitting PDP governor meet with our national leader while we, his party men, struggle to get a handshake at the Villa?โ
The Adeleke Strategy
Political analysts believe Adelekeโs move is calculated, not coincidental.
The governorโs silence on the content of the meeting has only fueled speculation, leaving the Osun APC to guess what cards are being played behind the scenes.
What Comes Next?
As the dust settles, itโs clear that the political battleground in Osun is far from calm. The APC must now contend with the dual challenge of internal restructuring and external repositioning all while their main rival tightens his grip and builds bridges in Abuja.
For Adeleke, the timing couldnโt be better. For Osun APC, the reality couldnโt be harsher.
Whether the โBook of Lamentationsโ remains open or is replaced by a new โBook of Revivalโ will depend entirely on how the APC regroups and responds in the months ahead.
But for now, one thing is certain: the game has changed and so has the music.
