2026: Why Oyebamiji’s entry could be the game changer in Osun governorship

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –

Bola Oyebamiji’s recent declaration to clinch the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for the August 8, 2026, governorship election appears to have introduced new twists to the Osun guber race dynamics, enough to make incumbent governor Ademola Adeleke have sleepless nights.

The Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has not only breathed new life into the Osun APC camp but also re-energised the party in its quest to regain control of the state it lost nearly four years ago.

Osun APC loyalists share the consensus that the candidacy of the Ikire-born technocrat holds the prospects for success for the party in the coming election for various reasons.

First, Oyebamiji is no stranger to Osun politics. Before he was appointed as NIWA MD by President Bola Tinubu, he served as Commissioner for Finance under the administration of former Governor Rauf Aregbesola as well as under Governor Gboyega Oyetola and was a governorship aspirant in the 2018 gubernatorial contest. Thus, as an insider who has been part of the previous administration, he possesses the experience required to navigate the political terrain of the state.

Second, Oyebamiji is a prominent politician from Osun West Senatorial District. He and the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are from the same senatorial district. Should the APC eventually pick Oyebamiji as its flag bearer, the election becomes a high-stakes battle within the same senatorial zone.

This unique situation may likely split the votes in Osun West, as both candidates are grassroots politicians with strong followers in the region. Adeleke thus faces formidable competition at home, needing to work harder to retain his base.

Third, Oyebamiji’s guber ambition enjoys immense support from various groups and politicians within the APC. Former local government chairmen who served from 2017 to 2022 and the former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Timothy Owoeye, have endorsed him. The NIWA MD has also received the backing of former Commissioner for Water Resources Raheem Tadese and former Commissioner for Information Chief Sunday Akere among many others.

Such broad-based support, if properly harnessed, may result in a consensus around his candidacy, offering the APC a smooth-sailing primary election devoid of rancour, enabling the party to go into the 2026 governorship contest in one accord.

Finally, some individuals and groups have consistently pointed at the ex-banker’s outstanding track record in both the public and private sectors, particularly his contributions to Osun State’s development during his tenure as two-time Commissioner for Finance.

With his experience and wide acceptance among groups in Osun APC, as well as his grassroots appeal, Oyebamiji may well be a formidable aspirant whose entry into the Osun governorship race could be the game changer his party needs to return to power in 2026.