Hon. Oluwole Busayo Oke, five-term member of the House of Representatives representing Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency in Osun State, has sparked controversy after his appointment as Director General of the APC's gubernatorial campaign in Osun. A long-time PDP member, Oke defected to the APC ahead of the 2023 elections, citing political realignment. Despite his 20 years in the National Assembly, he maintains a low national profile. His appointment has drawn backlash from APC grassroots members, who view it as a slight against loyal party cadres. Protests have emerged over the decision by party leaders, including former governor Gboyega Oyetola, to entrust a political defector with leading the campaign. Adding to the tension, two former political rivals whom Oke defeated under the PDP banner have been named his deputies. Critics interpret the move as a strategic consolidation of power rather than a grassroots-driven process. Oke, 59, is seeking a sixth term in office. His signature gobi cap, once emblazoned with his initials, has been replaced with the APC's "unbroken chain" design associated with President Bola Tinubu. Dr. Umar Ardo, a northern political commentator, recently described the cap's infinity symbol as suggestive of prolonged rule. Oke's legislative tenure, while notable in Nigeria's democratic context, is dwarfed globally by figures like US Senator Robert Byrd, who served over 51 years, and Senator Chuck Grassley, currently serving his eighth term at age 92.
Oluwole Oke's appointment as campaign director in Osun lays bare the APC's growing reliance on political defectors over homegrown loyalty, a shift that unsettles the party's base. That a man who spent two decades under the PDP banner is now entrusted with steering the APC's fortunes in a critical state election speaks less to merit than to a top-down calculus that sidelines internal voices. The backlash isn't about competence—it's about legitimacy. When two of Oke's former PDP opponents become his deputies, the optics scream political engineering, not organic unity.
The discontent in Osun mirrors a broader national trend where party structures are increasingly shaped by individual patronage rather than collective ideology. Oke's smooth transition from PDP stalwart to APC campaign chief underscores how party identity has become transactional. Gboyega Oyetola's endorsement of Oke, despite grassroots resistance, reveals a hierarchy that answers to power centres, not precincts. This isn't unusual in Nigerian politics, but the speed and visibility of the shift weaken the illusion of internal democracy.
For ordinary APC members in Osun, this signals that loyalty may not be rewarded—alignment with prevailing power might be enough. It affects not just morale but the incentive to build careers within party structures. If defectors leapfrog committed members, the party risks becoming a vehicle for individual ambition rather than collective progress.
This fits a pattern across Nigeria's political landscape: longevity and survival often depend less on public service than on strategic repositioning at the right moment. Oke's 20-year tenure, quiet yet unbroken, reflects a mastery of that game.
