Osun gov: Adeleke, Oyebamiji dream victory as campaign begins

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, campaigning on the platform of Accord and the main opposition party in the state, the All Progressives Congress, with its candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, have expressed confidence in winning the August 15 governorship poll as the campaign activities for the election officially commenced on Wednesday.

In the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission, the commencement of campaign activities is slated for March 11.

The commission also rescheduled the governorship election from its earlier date of August 8, 2026, to August 15, 2026.

The incumbent Governor, Ademola Adeleke, is seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord, while APC has the immediate past Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority, Oyebamiji, as its candidate.

Another major contender in the race is the ex-Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Dr Najeem Salaam, who is the candidate of the African Democratic Congress.

Speaking about his chances at the poll, Adeleke, while hosting a delegation of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Osun State Council, during a courtesy visit at the Government House, Osogbo, said he would win the governorship poll.

He listed various achievements recorded by his administration as a pointer to his impending victory.

Adeleke, who thanked the delegation for the visit, reaffirmed his commitment to people-centred governance.

“Today marks the starting point of campaigning for the August 15, 2026, governorship election.

“We need your prayers and support for a free and fair election through which the will of the people will prevail,” he said.

Reiterating why he deserved a second term in office, Adeleke said, “When the opposition asked if I deserve to be re-elected, I told them yes, based on my performance in this first term in office.

“I deserve re-election because of what our administration has delivered for the people of Osun. We have empowered the cooperative movement with almost N4bn, strengthened community development associations with grassroots health and infrastructure projects, and implemented the Imole Medical Outreach that has benefited almost 80,000 residents.”

He further said his administration had also revived agriculture and rural development across the state.

“We revived the cocoa revolution through aggressive seedling distribution and new farmers’ initiatives, acquired brand new tractors now serving farmers across the state, and implemented thousands of local projects through integrated rural development under the O-RAMP programme.

“We introduced a 45-day window for the acquisition of Certificates of Occupancy, revived the Osun Free Trade Zone with active investors, digitised tax and revenue collection, and implemented the SIFMIS payroll application to ensure transparency in the management of public funds.

“We have constructed over 350 kilometres of roads, developed three major flyovers, revived six moribund waterworks, drilled 332 boreholes across wards, rehabilitated schools and health centres, and paid inherited half salaries and almost one hundred billion naira in pension debts,” he said.

Assuring Osun people that his administration will continue to deliver inclusive governance and sustainable development if re-elected, the governor promised that “when we are re-elected, we will continue to run an inclusive and forward-looking government that keeps the people at the centre of our programmes and policies.”

The APC, in a statement made available to The PUNCH by its spokesperson, Kola Olabisi, in Osogbo, on Wednesday, stated the readiness of the party to end Adeleke’s reign by working hard for the victory of its candidate, Bola Oyebamiji.

The party said it was aware of the sufferings being foisted on the people of this state by the incumbent Governor Adeleke, exemplified by copious acts of misgovernance and policy somersaults traceable to the government.

“Our governorship candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO) with his running mate, Aare (Engr) Benjamin Kayode Adereti, have been crossing their t’s and dotting their i’s through sleepless nights in order to ensure that our state is not left behind among the comity of states making up the entity, Nigeria, when they become statutory tenants in the Bola Ige House by the special grace of God in November.

“All genuine lovers of this state should make it a point of duty to ensure that Governor Adeleke is shown the way out of the Bola Ige House through their golden votes on the 15th of August, 2026, as his exhibited best in the office is grossly insufficient to move the state forward.”(Punch)