Osun 2026: Parties Make Last-Minute Push

As the Osun State electorate prepare to cast their votes for their preferred candidates less than 24 hours before the off-cycle governorship election, political parties are making a last-minute push to secure victory.

Following the recent court order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to include the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Dr Francis Olugbenga Ajala, in the race, 15 political parties will now contest the election.

The parties and their candidates are Ademola Adeleke (Accord Party); Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (All Progressives Congress); Najeem Salaam (African Democratic Congress); Olanrewaju Farinloye (Action Alliance); Esan Olajide (African Action Congress); and Adeagbo Yemisi (Action Democratic Party).

Other political parties in the race are the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Action Peoples Party (APP), Boot Party (BP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Young Progressives Party (YPP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP).

While all the political parties have established their presence in the state, three of them—the All Progressives Congress (APC), Accord Party and African Democratic Congress (ADC)—are the major contenders.

It is worth noting that the candidates of the three parties—Ademola Adeleke (Accord Party), Bola Oyebamiji (APC) and Najeem Salaam (ADC)—are from the Osun West Senatorial District.

How They Stand

The Accord Party candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke, hails from Ede. A businessman and politician, he served as senator representing the Osun West Senatorial District from 2017 to 2019, following the demise of his brother, Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke. He is the incumbent governor of the state.

Popularly known as Imole (the Dancing Governor), Adeleke is popular among workers in Osun. The apex labour union in the state, the Nigeria Labour Congress, and the Trade Union Congress endorsed him as their candidate, as did many artisan trade unions.

After almost four years in office, Adeleke has been using projects executed by his administration as a bargaining chip across the state’s local government areas.

Banking on block votes from the two local government areas in Ede, his hometown, Adeleke is also expected to win Egbedore Local Government Area, where the incumbent member representing his federal constituency, Bamidele Salam, hails from.

Adeleke may make headway in the Iwo Federal Constituency, courtesy of the Iwo-born former Secretary to the Osun State Government, Moshood Adeoti. However, Akin Ogunbiyi of the APC, who is the party’s Osun West Senatorial District candidate, may pose a challenge to his victory in the constituency.

He would have had to contend with Senator Iyiola Omisore in the Ife Central/Ife East/Ife North/Ife South Federal Constituency if Omisore had been in the race. However, with his deputy, Kola Adewusi, present, Adeleke is expected to perform well there.

The governor may have it tough in Ijesaland due to the vibrancy of heavyweight politicians domiciled in the APC, including Senator Francis Fadahunsi, Sanya Omirin, Timothy Owoeye, Oluwole Oke, Remi Omowaye and Tubosun Oyintiloye, among others, as well as Rauf Aregbesola of the African Democratic Congress.

Even with the above-mentioned APC chieftains, Adeleke has foot soldiers in Mayowa Adejoorin, Commissioner for Environment; Pelumi Olajengbesi, House of Representatives candidate; Hon. Adeyemi Adewumi, Obokun representative in the Osun State House of Assembly; Ibokun Fadipe, SUBEB chairman; and a host of others.

The withdrawal of support for Adeleke by former governor Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Shuaib Oyedokun, as well as the backing of former governor Adegboyega Oyetola, may make it difficult for the governor to win the Osun Central Senatorial District.

But, no doubt, securing 25 per cent of the votes in two-thirds of the 30 local government areas of Osun State may not be a problem for Adeleke.

Oyebamiji, the APC candidate, hails from the Irewole/Isokan/Ayedaade Federal Constituency. A vibrant politician and banker, he served as the Osun Commissioner for Finance under the administrations of former governors Rauf Aregbesola and Gboyega Oyetola, and as Managing Director/CEO of the National Inland Waterways Authority.

Oyebamiji will be banking on bloc votes from the Ayedaade/Irewole/Isokan Federal Constituency, with the support of his foot soldiers there.

Also, with the influence of Dotun Babayemi, who hails from Gbongan, one of the biggest towns in the federal constituency, Oyebamiji appears to have an edge over the other leading candidates in the area.

His adoption by the PDP faction led by former governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola may also prove crucial to delivering Odo Otin Local Government Area for the APC. Former Governor Adebisi Akande’s support, the vibrancy of APC National Secretary Senator Ajibola Basiru, and the party’s senatorial candidate in the 2027 poll, Adekunle Adegoke, among others, speak volumes for Oyebamiji in Osun Central.

Also, with Senator Francis Fadahunsi, Sanya Omirin, Timothy Owoeye, Oluwole Oke, Remi Omowaye and Tubosun Oyintiloye, among others, Oyebamiji may make headway and secure impressive votes.

Obviously, Oyebamiji may not have a problem securing 25 per cent of the votes in two-thirds of the state’s 30 local government areas.

The African Democratic Congress candidate, Dr Folasayo Najeem Salaam, hails from Ejigbo in the Ede North/Ede South/Ejigbo/Egbedore Federal Constituency of the state.

He was the former Executive Director, Marketing and Business Development, of NIGCOMSAT, a renowned politician and former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly.

Najeem Salaam, an advocate of peaceful elections, has the strong backing of his political mentor, Rauf Aregbesola, who is also the party’s national secretary.

The erudite scholar may make waves in his federal constituency, but of greater significance is his stronghold in Ejigbo, his hometown.

Apart from the Ejigbo Local Government Area, where Salaam hails from, Ilesa East, Osogbo and Olorunda are other areas where he could put up a strong showing.

Salaam, however, remains a formidable contender, as his influence across the state could swing votes in his favour. He served as Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly for eight years.

He also inherited his mentor Aregbesola’s political strength while carrying some of the political liabilities associated with the former governor.

The aforementioned candidates, who are the leading contenders, are running neck and neck, consolidating their holds on their respective strongholds while wooing power brokers in local government areas where they have weaker campaign structures.

Security

The violence and killings that have been prevalent in the state since electioneering began have raised concerns, hence the massive deployment of security agents to the state for the election.

Security operatives, including the Nigerian Army, the police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other paramilitary agencies, have arrived in the state and demonstrated their strength across the major cities.

Earlier, at the state command level, the Osun Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, disclosed that the police authorities would deploy 15,000 personnel for the Saturday election. However, the Force Headquarters recently said no fewer than 17,000 officers would serve in the election.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police deployed specifically to conduct the election, Samuel Etaifo, said the police deployment to Osun State was focused on stability and peace and on ensuring that residents could participate freely in Saturday’s election.

He disclosed that four policemen would manage each polling unit to ensure a hitch-free election devoid of violence and intimidation.

Already, the police and other security agencies, such as the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other paramilitary agencies, have been deployed to all 30 local government areas of the state.