With the conclusion of the Osun State governorship primaries on December 15, last year as stipulated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), candidates have been on the drawing board, plotting their winning strategies for the August 8 contest. TOBA ADEDEJI reports.
Governorship candidates in Osun State are about to start campaigns. Stakeholders and supporters are forging alliances and mobilising grassroots support in a keenly contested race that will determine who occupies the Bola Ige House for the next four years.
There was a political uprising in 2025 when the major opposition forces in the state, comprising the All Progressives Congress (APC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Allied Peoples Movement (APM), were shopping for the best candidate to flag their parties’ banners in the contest.
In APC, agitation for the party to pick its governorship candidate from the Osun West District surged, as political groups and leaders advocated that the district be considered for the 2026 governorship ticket should the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, decide not to run again.
Subsequently, Oyetola dropped out of the governorship race, prompting nine aspirants to throw their hats into the ring to contest the party’s governorship ticket.
Zones of the aspirants:
Former Managing Director of NIWA, Asiwaju Bola Oyebamiji (Ikire, Osun West) Former deputy governor, Iyiola Omisore (Ile-Ife, Osun East), Prince Dotun Babayemi (Gbongan, Osun West) ex-Deputy governor, Benedict Alabi (Ikire, Osun West), an Insurance magnate, Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi (Ile-Oogbo, Osun West), Barrister Kunle Adegoke, SAN (Osogbo, Osun Central), Senator Babajide Omoworare (Ile-Ife, Osun East), ex-Osun House of Assembly member, Dr Mulikat Jimoh (Ikirun, Osun Central and Mr. Babatunde Hareter Oralusi (Ile-Ife, Osun East).
These aspirants contested, but only Oyebamiji and Mulikat, the only female aspirants, passed the APC screening to contest in the primary. This raised dust within the party until President Bola Tinubu intervened.
Following, they agreed and presented Oyebamiji (AMBO) as a consensus candidate on December 13, 2025.
Since Oyebamiji emerged, there has been an uneasy calm within the party as Omisore grumbled over the development, faulting Oyetola for backing AMBO and using party mechanisms to favour him.
However, the party leaders held a partial reconciliatory meeting at the residence of Chief Bisi Akande in December 2025, where they directed all aspirants to collapse their structures into the APC to ensure the victory of Oyebamiji.
Also, the State Working Committee (SWC) APC rallied the eight governorship aspirants to close ranks and work as a united front ahead of the poll.
The party said the emergence of Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO) as the party’s standard-bearer has sent jitters into the ruling party’s camp.
Speaking with the Director of Media, Chief Kola Olabisi, said that, following the APC maiden meeting in the new year, the state Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, was full of praise for the eight governorship aspirants, who embraced the emergence of Oyebamiji without resorting to crisis, rancour, or animosity.
He said Lawal also expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief Bisi Akande, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, the leadership of Agba Osun, and other personalities whose roles contributed to the successful emergence of one of the qualified governorship aspirants.
“The successful conduct of the party’s governorship election, which culminated in the seamless emergence of Asiwaju Oyebamiji, has sent jitters into the camp of the ruling party and others, as their hitherto sing-song had been that the exercise would be a recipe for imminent implosion.
“The prevalent peace and tranquillity being enjoyed in the party today is due to the successful conduct of the governorship primary election, which was made possible by the embracing of the culture of supremacy of the party by the eight aspirants.”
He said the names of the eight governorship aspirants, who did not allow their aspirations to bring down the roof of the party, shall be written in gold in the political history of the party in the state.
He enjoined the aspirants to continue to inform their lieutenants and supporters on the need for the party to go into the August 8, 2026, governorship election as an indivisible and impenetrable team with a view to winning the election and chasing Governor Ademola Adeleke back to his Ede country home.”
He said both formal and informal reconciliation exercises were ongoing in the party, but it was imperative for him to single out the governorship aspirants, who had proved by their actions and inactions that they were complete party men come rain or shine.
APC’s strength:
One of the major strengths of APC is that since they left government in 2022 in Osun State, they never lost any major member to the ruling party, except former Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who was expelled from the party alongside his allies over anti-party activities.
The APC has welcomed more strong politicians from the ruling party into its fold since 2022 to date, including Senator Francis Fadahunsi (Osun East), Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi (Osun Central), House of Representatives members; Oluwole Oke, Sanya Omirin, Taofeek Ajilesoro, and other notable members, including former National Deputy Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Shuib Oyedokun amongs others.
Similarly, the APC has strong leaders across the state’s nine federal constituencies who can muscle out votes for the party in the forthcoming poll.
The party has leaders in the major towns of Osun State, who normally determine who win election.
The party has NPA Executive Director, Olalekan Badmus, and Senator Ajibola Basiru, the party’s National Secretary, who are strong in Osogbo and Olorunda, Kayode Oduoye (Ikirun), Oyetola in Iragbiji (Boripe), Fadahunsi, Omirin, Ajilesoro in Ijesa land, Chief Akande and Fadeyi in Ila-Orangun, Babayemi in Gbongan, Oyebamiji (governorship candidate) in Ikire.
APC’s weaknesses:
One of the major weaknesses of the APC is the likelihood of being unable to secure genuine reconciliation from all the aspirants who were disqualified from the gubernatorial contest. Omisore, who is from the Ile-Ife kingdom, is not really pleased with the party, hence he may not work for the party’s victory in 2026.
Similarly, APC may suffer major losses if it fails to pick a strong deputy governorship candidate from one of the major towns, either Osogbo or Ile-Ife.
Also, APC may not have a good outing in Ede South and North because it is the hometown of the incumbent governor, Adeleke, who has done well in infrastructure for them.
Some local government areas, such as Egbedore, Orolu, Iwo, Ayedire, Odo-Otin, and Ola-Oluwa, may support the reelection of Ademola Adeleke because he garnered support from the councils for infrastructure.
Chances of PDP, Adeleke’s Accord:
Before the primary in 2025, the ruling PDP, through its chairman, Sunday Bisi, said the crises ravaging the party have made the conduct of the party’s governorship primary, earlier slated for December 2, impossible.
He, however, said Adeleke’s decision may change with the resolution of crises ravaging the party, which must be recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission and reached within the commission’s timeline for the Osun governorship poll.
He noted that, because of the internal crisis rocking the national leadership of the PDP, the information at his disposal is that Governor Ademola Adeleke may no longer be interested in seeking the PDP nomination for the 2026 Osun governorship election, unless a resolution recognised by INEC is reached within the INEC timeline.
Subsequently, Adeleke left the PDP and later joined the Accord Party, along with his cabinet members and appointees.
Adeleke, the sole governorship aspirant, later emerged as the party’s candidate, promising to win his second term on the platform.
Accord Party’s strength:
One of the major strengths of the Accord Party is that the two parties have fused into one, PDP and Accord. Despite that, Adeleke gave life to the party; the Accord party is strategically placed on the ballot as the first political party any electorate will see before the APC.
Also, Adeleke’s influence as the incumbent governor will go a long way toward securing the support of the people, especially civil servants in the state, whom he has prioritised in terms of their welfare, promotion, and the payment of salary arrears owed by the APC administration.
Similarly, Adeleke’s infrastructural drive in some parts of the state will win him votes in Ilesa, Ede, Osogbo, Ila-Orangun, Iwo, and other places where he is constructing rural roads.
The Accord Party will also pull votes, as the majority of PDP members will support Adeleke’s re-election bid.
The remaining federal lawmakers, Senator Lere Oyewumi and six members of the House of Representatives, and the 23 lawmakers of the state House of Assembly, will pull a lot of support for Adeleke in 2026.
Accord Party’s weaknesses:
One of the weaknesses of the Accord Party is its lack of voter education, as many local electorates may not know about it or its ideology. Also, many electors who know Adeleke from the PDP may not have been informed about his new political party.
Also, the party’s lack of political structure across the state will make it difficult to secure the necessary votes; hence, it will rely heavily on the PDP to re-elect Ademola Adeleke.
Some typical members of the PDP may not support Adeleke in the new party because of their loyalty to the party; hence, they will stay out of the election.
Chances of Aregbesola’s ADC:
The factor of Aregbesola, a two-term governor of Osun State and the National Secretary of ADC, will also influence the outcome of the 2026 election.
Aregbesola and his allies left the APC for ADC in 2025 after being rejected for alleged anti-party activities.
The political party has been mobilising in the state since 2025, with the support of ex-Osun State Speaker, Najeem Salam; ex-Secretary to the State Government, Moshood Adeoti; Senator Adelere Oriolowo; ex-APC chairman, Razaq Salinsile; ex-APC chairman, Adelowo Adebiyi, amongst others.
Meanwhile, the camp suffered a setback when one of its key leaders, Adeoti, left the Aregbesola-backed ADC group, saying he would no longer participate in its activities.
In a letter addressed to the group, he said, “My decision to withdraw was never an easy one, especially each time I look back and consider all my investments in ensuring the survival of the group throughout its turbulent period from inception till date.”
Prior to his resignation letter, which began circulating on social media late Saturday, reports emerged that ex-Osun Speaker Najeem Salaam had been chosen as the preferred candidate for the ADC governorship ticket.
Sources within the Omoluabi Progressives, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Adeoti left because he failed to secure the group’s support for the primary.
The source said, “Our apex leaders are 15 in number. They met in Lagos over the weekend and held a mini-election to choose the aspirant the group would back for the ADC governorship primary. Three people showed interest, including Oriolowo, Salaam, and Adeoti. In the election, Najeem, a former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, received 11 votes; Adeoti, 3; and Oriolowo, 1.
“He is leaving because of that. I recall that in 2022, a similar mini-election was held among Aregbesola’s supporters. Najeem won again, but our leaders prevailed on him, and he stepped down for Adeoti, and we all supported him in the APC primary.”
Adeoti’s departure from the group may affect the party’s chances, as he is a strong politician under the chairmanship of Aregbesola, the incumbent governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.
Subsequently, Salam emerged as the party’s candidate.
PDP as a game changer:
Despite that, Adeleke joined the Accord Party, and Adebayo Adedamola, a close ally of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, emerged as the PDP candidate.
This development may divide the vote meant for Adeleke if, eventually, the party gets to the ballot in 2026.
