The South-west leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected a petition calling for the removal of Rauf Aregbesola, the party's National Secretary, stating that the petitioners lack legitimate authority within the region. This comes amid ongoing internal disputes within the opposition party ahead of the 2027 general elections. At a meeting attended by various national and zonal officials, the leadership unanimously dismissed allegations that Aregbesola manipulated party structures or influenced candidate selections, calling such claims false and misleading. Aregbesola, a former governor of Osun State and ex-Minister of Interior, is considered the most influential ADC leader in the South-west. The party emphasized that decisions regarding primaries and candidate nominations are made by the National Executive Committee (NEC), not the National Secretary alone. The leadership accused the petitioners of attempting to deflect blame for controversies related to party processes.
Bias read (Center): The article presents both sides of the dispute, detailing the rejection of the petition by the South-west leadership and the allegations made by the petitioners, without overtly favoring either side. It includes quotes from the party's communiqué and describes the context of the conflict without using





