APC leader pushes Osun Central for Oyebamiji’s deputy governorship slot

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –

As permutations over the choice of a running mate for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Asiwaju Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO), intensify, a party chieftain, Chief Abiodun Adesiyan, has urged the party to zone the deputy governorship slot to Osun Central Senatorial District.

Adesiyan, in a statement signed on Tuesday, argued that with the APC flagbearer coming from Osun West and being a Muslim, the party should consider a Christian from Osun Central to achieve religious and demographic balance on the ticket ahead of the 2026 governorship election.

He said that political calculations demand that Oyebamiji’s running mate must possess street credibility, grassroots acceptance, and the capacity to mobilise votes across different blocs.

The APC chieftain noted that within APC structures in Osun Central, there is a growing consensus that the ideal deputy governorship candidate should be a strong Christian with broad-based appeal, cross-party connections—particularly among former PDP blocs—and influence among labour leaders, students, artisans, and informal sector workers. The candidate’s local government should also have strong voter registration strength, capable of delivering significant votes.

“With voter mobilisation now closely tied to numbers on the INEC register, the current Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise is expected to play a decisive role in the final choice. Total registered voters in Osun State (all districts) were 1,955,657 as of June 2022. Of this number, Osun Central remains one of the most electorally competitive districts in the state: it has the highest number of voters, 652,911, ahead of Osun East with 603,000 voters, as well as Osun West, with an estimated total of 609,030,” Adesiyan stressed.

He stated that in Osun Central, Osogbo, Olorunda, Ifelodun, Boripe, and Odo-Otin have the best voting strength; hence, they should be considered for the slot in the district.

“For the choice of the deputy governorship candidate for Oyebamiji, Hon. Adeoye Adelakun (Osogbo) and Hon. Funmi Olasehinde (Ifedayo), who are ex-lawmakers, best fit. Also, Barr. Kayode Oduoye (Ifelodun) is another man fit for the slot, as he enjoys popularity across the Boripe/Ifelodun/Odo-Otin Federal Constituency, as well as within the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). Hon. Yinka Ajayi (Boripe) and Dr Temitope Ilori (Ila), who is the biological daughter of former Osun State Governor Chief Bisi Akande, and Ms. Tola Odeyemi, the current Postmaster General of Nigeria, are also potential candidates,” he said.

Adesiyan also suggested that the party can consider Engr. Kayode Adereti and Hon. Nike Omoworare from Ile-Ife for the slot, adding that pairing a strong Christian from Osun Central who can deliver votes, energise the streets, and connect across political and social divides could prove decisive in reclaiming Osun State in 2026.