The political landscape in Kosofe Federal Constituency appears markedly different from what it was four years ago.
As the countdown to the 2027 general elections begins, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kosofe is projecting an image of relative cohesion—a notable departure from the internal turmoil that followed the party’s primaries ahead of the 2023 elections.
In 2022, the aftermath of the APC primaries exposed deep divisions within the party. Political ambitions soon translated into press conferences, street protests and defections as several aggrieved aspirants and political heavyweights sought alternative platforms.
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Among those who left the APC were Akinwande Oshikomi, who contested the Kosofe Constituency I seat on the Labour Party platform, and Lanre Carew, who contested under the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Others reportedly moved to the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
The defections created a formidable opposition challenge for the APC and contributed to a fiercely contested electoral battle that extended into legal disputes and prolonged courtroom proceedings. Following the APC’s eventual victory, however, some of the politicians who had left the party, including Carew, eventually returned to its fold.
Four years later, the script appears to be changing.
Following the APC’s May 2026 primary election, the expected wave of public protests, explosive press briefings and high-profile defections has largely failed to materialise.
Key political figures, including Hon. Femi Saheed, representing Kosofe Constituency II, and Hon. Kafilat Ogbara, representing Kosofe Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, have remained within the party despite the outcome of the primaries.
Ogbara has publicly expressed reservations about the process and recently stated during a television appearance that she was still reviewing the outcome. However, her decision to remain within the APC represents a significant contrast to the open rebellion witnessed after the 2022 primaries.
At the centre of the party’s current political structure is its candidate for the Kosofe Federal Constituency, Mayor Dele Oshinowo.
After submitting his nomination forms to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Oshinowo has moved quickly to consolidate his campaign structure and engage stakeholders across the constituency.
His camp has embarked on consultations with community development leaders, local government stakeholders and other political actors as it prepares for the August 19 campaign flag-off.
Behind the scenes, party leaders have also been engaged in efforts to reconcile different interests and prevent the kind of internal divisions that characterised the previous electoral cycle.
The significance of these efforts cannot be underestimated.
The 2022 experience demonstrated that internal disagreements within a major political party can quickly spill into the wider electoral contest, creating opportunities for opposition candidates and forcing the party into costly post-election battles.
The relative calm following the 2026 primaries therefore represents more than the absence of defections. It could signal a growing recognition among Kosofe APC stakeholders that political disagreements are inevitable, but that the ability to manage them may ultimately determine the party’s electoral fortunes.
For Oshinowo and the APC, the immediate challenge is to convert this apparent cohesion into an effective campaign structure capable of mobilising voters across the constituency.
With the 2027 elections approaching, Kosofe APC appears determined not to repeat the mistakes of 2022.
Whether the current peace will endure until election day remains to be seen. But for now, the party seems to have learnt one important lesson from its previous experience: winning the primary is only one battle; keeping the party together afterwards may be the more consequential one.