Former Secretary to the Osun State Government, Fatai Akinbade, has explained why members of a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State are backing the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Oyebamiji.
Akinbade said the decision was driven by the group’s belief that Oyebamiji has the experience and understanding required to provide effective leadership in Osun State.
The PDP leaders, including former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, declared their support for Oyebamiji during a gathering in Osogbo.
This development comes ahead of the Saturday governorship election, in which Oyebamiji will face incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord and candidates of other political parties.
Akinbade, who explained the position of the PDP leaders, said their decision was based largely on Oyebamiji’s record in both the private and public sectors.
He also pointed to the APC candidate’s knowledge of Osun State and his familiarity with the challenges facing residents across the state.
“His calmness, laced with the needed experience in various capacities he had served, richly places him poles ahead of his contenders. Asiwaju Bola Oyebamiji has all it takes to turn around Osun State,” he noted.
According to Akinbade, the endorsement should not be interpreted as an abandonment of the PDP.
He maintained that the decision was taken because the group believed the interest of Osun State should come before party considerations.
“Just like former Governor Oyinlola stressed, our endorsement of Oyebamiji for the coming Saturday’s gubernatorial election does not in any way, mean that we have left the PDP. Our decision to go through this route is for the good of the state and its people,” he stressed.
The APC has been working to strengthen its structure across the 30 local government areas ahead of the election.
Oyebamiji emerged as the party’s candidate after the APC primary process and has since been campaigning across the state.
His supporters have presented him as a candidate with experience in government and the private sector.
Oyebamiji previously served as Osun Commissioner for Finance and later headed the National Inland Waterways Authority.
The APC candidate has also repeatedly expressed confidence in his chances of defeating Adeleke at the poll.
In April, Oyebamiji said the APC was positioned to reclaim Osun, urging party members to remain focused despite what he described as opposition propaganda.
“Let me assure our supporters that victory is within reach. No amount of sponsored propaganda or opposition narratives will distract us from our focus,” he said.
Akinbade also disclosed that supporters of the PDP faction had been mobilised across the state to support Oyebamiji.
“Already, our supporters across the state have been steadied for the election. We shall be peaceful in our conduct so as to ensure that there are no hitches that would warrant negativity,” the PDP stalwart pointed out.
He appealed to Oyebamiji to remain focused if elected and urged political actors to avoid actions that could threaten peace before, during or after the election.
The former SSG also called on residents to protect lives and property during the electoral process.
In a related development, the former Osun Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola and members of the Turaki faction of the PDP on June publicly backed Adewale Adebayo, the governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
The declaration was made at an event in Okuku, Osun State, where Oyinlola appeared alongside former Secretary to the State Government Fatai Akinbade and former PDP South-West Vice Chairman Tajudeen Oladipo.
Oyinlola explained that the decision was connected to an existing relationship between the PDP faction and the APM.
“There is an alliance between the Peoples Democratic Party and the Allied Peoples Movement,” he said.
The Turaki faction’s decision to support the APM candidate was presented as part of a broader political arrangement rather than a formal abandonment of the PDP.
The APC has also been consolidating its own camp. In January 2026, former APC governorship aspirant Akin Ogunbiyi directed his supporters to join Oyebamiji’s campaign structure after the emergence of the APC candidate.
Ogunbiyi said the former aspirants had agreed to work together for the party’s success.
“Everyone of us had a meeting and we resolved that everyone of us will work. We will do everything within our respective constituencies to ensure that Bola Oyebamiji emerges as the governor of Osun State from August this year,” Ogunbiyi said.
Oyebamiji has also continued to insist that he has the backing required to challenge the incumbent governor.
In June, he said he remained President Bola Tinubu’s endorsed candidate for the Osun governorship election and dismissed reports suggesting otherwise.
“I remain the anointed and endorsed candidate of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the August 15, 2026, governorship election in Osun State,” Oyebamiji said.
