Osun 2026: Adeleke Should Step Aside, Says APC Chieftain

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Abiola Ogundokun, has declared that Governor Ademola Adeleke’s chances of securing a second term in office have been effectively foreclosed following the emergence of Bola Oyebamiji as the APC’s consensus candidate for the 2026 governorship election.

Ogundokun made the assertion on Saturday in Osogbo, shortly after Oyebamiji, a former Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), was adopted as the party’s candidate by APC stakeholders at a colourful ceremony attended by party leaders and supporters.

According to Ogundokun, the adoption of Oyebamiji signals the end of the Adeleke administration beyond 2026, describing the APC flagbearer as a more competent and experienced alternative.

“With the emergence of Bola Oyebamiji as the APC candidate, the days of the Ademola Adeleke’s administration are numbered,” Ogundokun said.

He advised the governor’s elder brother, Dr Deji Adeleke, against investing resources in supporting Adeleke’s re-election bid.

“I advise Dr Deji Adeleke not to waste his money in trying to secure a second term for his younger brother. It would be money down the drain. Ademola has done his bit; he should go and rest and allow someone more competent to take over. Oyebamiji is that person. You don’t compare apples with oranges,” he stated.

Ogundokun also commended the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, for what he described as visionary leadership and strategic foresight, noting that his calm and measured approach to politics was often misunderstood as weakness.

The former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) further said the seamless emergence of Oyebamiji as the APC candidate reflected the strength, unity and internal discipline of the ruling party at the national level.

He attributed the development to what he described as the firm leadership and stabilising influence of the APC’s national leader, President Bola Tinubu.

According to him, the Osun APC remains cohesive and focused, in contrast to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which he alleged was grappling with internal crises, as well as other opposition parties in the state that he described as politically insignificant.

“Party discipline is sacrosanct in the APC. That is why we are able to resolve issues internally and present a united front, unlike what is happening in the PDP and other weightless opposition parties in Osun,” Ogundokun said.

Oyebamiji’s adoption as the APC candidate is expected to set the tone for what political observers predict will be a keenly contested governorship election in Osun State in 2026.