By Abdulahmeed Abdulrozaq Bilal | Fact Frontier.
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The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has issued a formal and rigorous condemnation of Mr. Pelumi Olajengbesi, a House of Representatives aspirant for the Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency under the Accord Party. The rebuke follows the confirmation that Mr. Olajengbesi submitted a formal petition to the Office of the United States Ambassador to Nigeria concerning the conduct and public statements of Hon. Wole Oke.
Hon. Oke, the incumbent representative for the constituency and a prominent figure within the APC hierarchy, currently serves as the Director-General of the party’s Governorship Campaign Council in the state. In a communication dated April 9, 2026, and addressed to the American diplomatic mission, Mr. Olajengbesi had urged the United States government to consider imposing visa restrictions and other punitive measures against Hon. Oke, alleging that certain remarks made by the campaign Director-General had the potential to incite political unrest.
In an official statement released on Friday and signed by the State Director of Media and Publicity, Mr. Kola Olabisi, the Osun APC characterized the petition as an exercise in "procedural futility" and an "egregious misuse of diplomatic redress mechanisms." The party expressed profound disappointment that a political aspirant would seek to internationalize a domestic political disagreement and, in doing so, potentially tarnish the reputation of the State of Osun before the international community.
The APC’s communication articulated a firm defense of Hon. Wole Oke's character and professional conduct. The party described him as a distinguished parliamentarian whose tenure in the National Assembly has been marked by adherence to democratic norms and legislative decorum. The statement categorically rejected any insinuation that Hon. Oke's political language had deviated from acceptable standards of civil discourse.
"The All Progressives Congress views this petition not as a legitimate instrument of civic accountability, but rather as a calculated stratagem born out of political despair," the statement read. "It is an unfortunate and transparent attempt by Mr. Olajengbesi to secure through extra-judicial and diplomatic leverage what he is evidently unable to achieve through the legitimate democratic process of voter engagement and electoral mobilization."
The party further contextualized the petition within the broader framework of the impending electoral contest in Obokun/Oriade. Given that Mr. Olajengbesi is an aspirant for the same legislative seat currently occupied by Hon. Oke, the APC posits that the petition represents a diversionary tactic intended to undermine the operational efficacy of the party’s campaign machinery.
"The APC administration and its campaign council remain resolutely focused on the substantive issues of governance, policy articulation, and the delivery of democratic dividends to the people of Osun State," Mr. Olabisi continued. "We urge the esteemed Embassy of the United States of America to exercise the requisite discernment in evaluating such communiqués. They should recognize this document for what it is: a politically motivated brief designed to enmesh a foreign mission in a parochial and partisan local contest."
The APC concluded its response by reaffirming its unwavering commitment to the preservation of peace, order, and the rule of law throughout the electoral period. The party called upon all political stakeholders to adhere strictly to the provisions of the Electoral Act and to refrain from actions that might erode public confidence in the integrity of the nation's democratic institutions.
While the Olajengbesi camp has reportedly maintained that the petition constitutes a legitimate exercise of the right to free expression and a call for accountability, the Osun APC has made it unequivocally clear that it will not be distracted by such maneuvers. The party advised the Accord Party aspirant to dedicate his energies to constructive political engagement and to allow the sovereign will of the Obokun/Oriade electorate to determine the outcome of the forthcoming elections, rather than relying upon external adjudication.
