2026: Osun West, East heat up as contenders clash for dominance

Blueprint.ng correspondent in Osogbo writes about the dynamics and the chances of the various contenders in the Osun governorship election slated for Saturday August 15, 2026

As the August 15, 2026, governorship election in Osun state draws nearer, political alliances are being severely tested. Major political parties, particularly the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Accord Party, are intensifying their strategies, deploying rigorous campaigns to win over the electorate.

Osun West: real battleground

Meanwhile, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Hon. Najeem Salaam, a former speaker of the State House of Assembly, has kept up a relentless momentum, engaging stakeholders and voters across the state.

While not traditionally viewed as a frontrunner, Salaam could leverage the support of former governor, Rauf Aregbesola to secure crucial votes, particularly in his native Osun West. The political caucus of Aregbesola that formed the ADC in Osun remains steadfast, insisting the party would not step down for anybody.

With all three major contestants hailing from the Osun West senatorial district, the zone is shaping up to be the ultimate battleground.

Bola Oyebamiji of the APC hails from Ikire, headquarters of Irewole local government area, while Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party is from Ede, Ede North Local Government, and the ADC’s Hon. Salaam hails from Ejigbo.

Oyebamiji faces an intense local contest in Ikire, as the Director-General of the Imole Campaign Council, Senator Lere Oyewumi, also calls the town home.

Irewole local government is expected to be fiercely contested as voters weigh local loyalty against party alignment with their Senator. Senator Oyewumi remains the political arch rival of his brother, Oyebamiji in the area.

In Ede, the stronghold of governor Adeleke, political heavyweights are locking horns. The Adeleke dynasty remains strong in the Ede North and Ede South. The family has always won the local governments in landslide against any opposition.

The House of Representatives member, Bamidele Salaam, a second-term member of the National Assembly representing Ede federal constituency, chairman of the media and publicity committee for the Imole Campaign Council, is working vigorously to solidify Adeleke’s support base in the west.

He has displayed the readiness for the battle having secured the third term ticket of Accord, hoping to remain in the House of Representatives beyond 2027.

Challenging this dynamic is Hon. Adejare Bello, Chairman of the Governing Council of Obafemi Awolowo University and a former Speaker of the State House of Assembly. Despite the massive loyalty command by Adeleke dynasty in Ede North and South, Bello is striving to chip away at the governor’s margins to benefit the APC. This is not the first election that Bello will be challenging the might of Adeleke dynasty.

The district also feels the heavyweight presence of Dotun Babayemi, a grassroots mobiliser from Gbongan in Ayedaade Local government area, which borders Irewole.

Having previously contested the APC senatorial ticket, Babayemi boasts deep roots in the district, further cemented since 2017 through regional health initiatives and a targeted loan programme for artisans and traders.

These efforts helped position him as a top contender in the last APC primary, which was eventually won by Oyebamiji, reportedly with the backing of former governor, Adegboyega Oyetola.

Since he contested the governorship primary with governor Adeleke in 2022, Babayemi has not relented in mobilising supporters in the zone, preparing for the 2026 election. Now in the APC, his influence would make the battle hot in Osun West.

Other notable defectors adding weight to the APC in Osun West include Peter Babalola, former Chief of Staff to governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola and former chairman of the governing council of the Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun, as well as Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi.

Ogunbiyi, the Group Chairman of Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc and the Accord Party’s 2022 governorship candidate joined the APC in 2023 and is now the party’s Osun West senatorial candidate, wielding considerable clout around Iwo.

The battle would be shifted to the ten local government in Osun West – Ayedaade, Ayedire, Ede North, Ede South, Egbedore, Iwo, Ejigbo, Irewole, Isokan and Olaoluwa.

Omisore a factor in Osun East

Osun East is another critical theater of the election. Governor Adeleke’s deputy, Prince Kola Adewusi, hails from Ile-Ife, as does the APC deputy governorship candidate, Kayode Adereti. While both deputies are viewed by some as low-profile, the ultimate decider in Ile-Ife may be Senator Iyiola Omisore.

Although Omisore is officially a member of the APC campaign council, reports indicate that roughly twenty of his loyalists have recently defected to the Accord. Rumors continue to swirl regarding Omisore’s own political future; reportedly aggrieved after being screened out of the governorship primary, he has allegedly refused reconciliation with party leadership.

APC dismisses fears of disunity

Responding to these rumors, APC Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, dismissed the concerns, maintaining that the party remains united and focused on victory.

“We are not perturbed as our party remains unshakeable and focused for the realisation of its main objective through the forthcoming governorship election on the 15th August, 2026, which our candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO), is strategically positioned to win,” Olabisi stated.

Citing constitutional provisions on freedom of association, Olabisi defended political movement as a natural part of democracy, noting that the APC had similarly absorbed prominent figures from the opposition in the past.

Meanwhile, formidable political figures in Ijesaland are working to secure the zone for the APC. These include Hon. Sanya Ominrin, representing Ijesa South federal constituency, Hon. Taofeek Ajilesoro, representing Ife Central, Senator Francis Fadahunsi, serving his second term in the Senate, and Hon. Wole Oke, serving a fifth term in the House of Representatives and double-hatting as Director-General of the Oyebamiji Campaign Council. Their presence makes Osun East a steep hill for the Accord Party to climb.

Accord undettered

Countering this narrative, Hon. Sola Isola, a member of the Imole Campaign Council’s media committee, asserted that the Accord leadership remains undeterred.

“Our eyes in Accord are on the goal. We cannot be distracted by noise makers. Our focus is on the election, and we will come out victorious regardless of the audio defections,” Isola said.

Osun Central APC’s formidable wall

Osun Central is expected to present a formidable wall for the opposition. While the ADC deputy governorship candidate, Temitope Yemisi Agiri, hails from Ila-Orangun, the hometown of APC leader, Chief Bisi Akande, her impact may be offset by the heavy concentration of ruling-party powerhouses in the zone.

These include APC National Secretary Dr. Ajibola Basiru, former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, and former PDP Board of Trustees member, Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, among others.

With the stage set and battle lines drawn across the senatorial districts, the August 15 election promises a tense and fiercely contested showdown.