As the recent inauguration of Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Osun by Governor Ademola Adeleke, who also doubles as the state coordinator continues to generate ripples, the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), on Tuesday disowned their members listed in the body.

It is recalled that Adeleke, had launched the PCC in Osogbo last Thursday, an event shunned by the political camp of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, who is also the immediate past governor of the state.

Though majority of the stakeholders within the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), namely the National Secretary of the Party, Senator Ajibola Basiru, Chief Bisi Akande, Senator Iyiola Omisore, Pa Shuaib Oyedokun, among others attended the rainbow coalition for Tinubu’s re-election bid, Oyetola’s bloc maintained that their resolve to abstain was informed by lack of protocol and short notice from Adeleke.

However, controversy over the launch has deepened as the Osun State chapter of IPAC contended that some individuals paraded as their representatives were on their own and were never authorised to represent it.

This was contained in a statement signed by leaders of some political parties, constituting Osun IPAC, namely Action Alliance (AA), National Rescue Movement (NRM) Action Democratic Party (ADP), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and National Democratic Party (NDP).

According to the statement sighted by The Guardian, other IPAC members that signed the document include Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) African Action Congress (ACC), Labour Party, Zenith Labour Party, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and others.

Osun PCC had allegedly named Odeleye Titus, Faribido Benson, Enorch Olalekan, Adetunji Olubunmi, Prince Adesoji Adeleke and Rev. Olatunji Popoola as IPAC representatives.

Describing the inclusion of the individuals in the rainbow coalition for Tinubu’s re- campaign in Osun as misleading and capable of creating confusion, IPAC stated: “The persons whose names were parade as our members in the said council are not our representatives, nor were they, at any point in time, nominated or authorised by the council to represent us in any capacity.

“IPAC is a structured body with duly recognised leadership and member political parties, and any representation must follow due process and official communication from our secretariat.”

While dissociating itself completely from the list, the statement added that “IPAC should not be used to score political points or create a false impression of broad-based acceptance.

It urged Tinubu not to recognise those listed as its representatives in the Osun PCC, stressing that members with strong grassroots presence across all local governments remain the legitimate stakeholders of IPAC.

“We are the majority members of IPAC in Osun State with strong grassroots presence across all local governments, and any engagement with IPAC in the state should be through us,” the statement concluded.