The Dilemma of Ambo: Party Leadership or Grassroots SupportBy Olarewaju Emmanuel P.KA Emmaculate

The Dilemma of Ambo: Party Leadership or Grassroots Support
By Olarewaju Emmanuel P.KA Emmaculate

The controversy surrounding the emergence of Asiwaju Munirudeen Oyebamiji (AMBO) as the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC)Osun State continues to generate heated debates within and outside the party. While his supporters celebrate his emergence as a strategic step towards reclaiming the state, many party faithful remain dissatisfied with the process that produced him.

A major concern among aggrieved stakeholders is the widespread perception that AMBO’s candidacy was determined by a relatively small circle of influential figures within the APC rather than through a genuinely broad-based consensus of party members. For many grassroots supporters, ward executives, and local party leaders, the process appeared to favour the preferences of a select political elite over the collective will of the majority.
Political parties thrive on inclusiveness, internal democracy, and the active participation of their members.

Whenever a significant proportion of party stakeholders feel excluded from critical decision-making processes, dissatisfaction becomes inevitable. In the case of AMBO’s emergence, many APC members believe that the voices of ordinary party loyalists were not adequately reflected in the outcome.

This growing resentment explains the visible discontent among several party leaders and members across different local government areas.

While some have openly expressed their grievances, others have chosen silence while nursing feelings of disappointment. Such internal divisions could pose a significant challenge to party cohesion ahead of the governorship election.

The issue is not necessarily about AMBO as an individual. Rather, it concerns the process that led to his emergence. In democratic politics, legitimacy is strengthened when candidates emerge through transparent, inclusive, and widely accepted procedures.

Conversely, when a candidate is perceived as the choice of a select few, questions naturally arise regarding acceptance among the broader party base.
History has shown that political parties often suffer electoral setbacks when internal grievances are ignored.

Aggrieved members may become indifferent, reduce their participation in campaign activities, or in some cases, openly work against the interests of the party.

Electoral victories are rarely secured by endorsements from a handful of influential figures; they are won through the collective commitment of grassroots members and loyal supporters.

For the APC, the challenge going forward is not only to market AMBO to the electorate but also to heal internal wounds and rebuild confidence among members who feel alienated by the emergence process. Without genuine reconciliation, lingering discontent could weaken the party’s chances at the polls.

As the 2026 governorship election approaches, the APC must confront a difficult reality; unity can not be imposed from above; it must be built through consultation, fairness, and mutual respect.

Until many of the aggrieved leaders and members are convinced that their concerns matter, questions about the acceptability of AMBO’s candidacy within the party will continue to dominate political discussions across Osun State.

The strength of any candidate lies not only in endorsements from political power brokers but also in the confidence and enthusiasm of the rank-and-file members who constitute the backbone of the party. Whether AMBO can bridge this divide and rally, the entire APC family behind his candidacy remains one of the defining questions ahead of the election.