The national secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Ajibola Basiru, on Saturday, announced his withdrawal from the Osun State governorship race scheduled for 2026.

Basiru made the announcement during the opening of his campaign office, Alubarika Movement, in Osogbo.

According to him, “I withdrew to enable him concentrate on the reelection of President Bola Tinubu, which I was saddled with.”

“Considering the enormous responsibilities of my current office as National Secretary of our great party and after due consultations with our esteemed leaders and stakeholders, particularly, the Leader of our party and President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it has become necessary to emphatically state that I shall not be contesting the 2026 Osun State Governorship Election.

“This decision, however, does not signify a withdrawal from our shared progressive visions in any way. On the contrary, it is following the giant strides we have collectively achieved, a renewed pledge to deepen my commitment to continue working with our leaders ond all members of the Alubarika Movement and the APC in Osun State and Nigeria to nurture and support emerging political leaders in the APC who will renew the hopes of the good people of Nigeria in alignment with the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“In this regard, the Alubarika Movement will work with all vigor to support the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections and in the coming months programs and activities towards that direction will be organized under the auspices of Alubarika Movement,” Basiru said.

“The party structures and the responsibilities of preparing for the 2027 general elections, require my unwavering commitment to the unity, success and stability of our party at all levels.

He, however, pledged to support the party in his capacity as a national secretary and, appreciated President Tinubu for given him the opportunity to serve, saying “it is a privilege to be the secretary of a ruling party.

“I’m better than the secretary of a party who did not have a single governor. Someone who has been commissioner for eight years, governor for eight years, minister for four years and he is ungrateful”.

The national secretary later announced a sum of N50 million for empowerment of member of the movement, promising that he would continue to support the party in his capacity as the national secretary. (Nigerian Tribune)