As the August 15, 2026, governorship election in Osun state approaches, the political landscape is reaching a fever pitch. Major parties, particularly the All Progressives Congress and the Accord Party, are pouring everything into their campaigns to sway voters as traditional alliances face their toughest tests yet.
Osun West is quickly becoming the definitive battleground for this election. Interestingly, all three major contestants trace their roots to this senatorial district. Bola Oyebamiji of the APC hails from Ikire, while Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party comes from Ede, and the African Democratic Congress candidate, Najeem Salaam, is from Ejigbo.
The dynamics in these towns are complex. In Ikire, Oyebamiji faces a direct challenge from within his own backyard, as Senator Lere Oyewumi, the Director-General of the Imole Campaign Council, is also a local son. The contest here is a high-stakes tug-of-war between local loyalty and broader party alignment. Meanwhile, in Ede, the Adeleke dynasty maintains a formidable grip on Ede North and South. While veteran politician Adejare Bello is working hard to chip away at the governor’s margins for the APC, the sheer influence of the family—bolstered by House of Representatives member Bamidele Salaam—remains a major hurdle.
The district is further crowded by influential figures like Dotun Babayemi, whose grassroots work in Ayedaade has kept him in the spotlight, and recent high-profile defectors to the APC like Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi, who brings significant clout to the Iwo axis. These factors ensure that the competition across the ten local governments in the west will be intense.
Osun East stands as another critical theater. While both the APC and the Accord Party have chosen deputy governorship candidates from Ile-Ife, many observers believe the true power broker there is Senator Iyiola Omisore. Zoyols News notes that while Omisore is technically part of the APC campaign council, persistent reports of his loyalists defecting to the Accord Party continue to fuel speculation about his stance.
The APC has moved quickly to downplay these concerns. Kola Olabisi, the party’s Director of Media and Information, recently stated that the party remains united and fully behind their candidate, Bola Oyebamiji. Olabisi dismissed the talk of internal friction as democratic movement, pointing out that the APC has also gained significant support from former opposition figures. With heavyweights like Wole Oke and Francis Fadahunsi rallying for the APC in Ijesaland, the party clearly aims to make the east a difficult climb for the opposition.
The Accord Party, however, remains entirely focused on the ballot. Sola Isola, speaking for the Imole Campaign Council, dismissed the rumors of defections as mere noise and maintained that their path to victory remains clear.
Looking toward Osun Central, the APC appears to have built a formidable wall of support. Although the ADC has looked to Ila-Orangun—the home of political leader Bisi Akande—to find a deputy candidate, the ruling party’s concentration of power in the zone is immense. With figures like former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and National Secretary Ajibola Basiru anchoring the area, the opposition faces a significant challenge. As the clock ticks down to August 15, the state remains poised for a high-stakes showdown that will test the reach and resilience of every major contender.
