Osun 2026: Omisore backs APC consensus candidate for governorship election
By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –
Former Deputy National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and governorship aspirant in Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, has declared his full support for the party’s adoption of a consensus candidate ahead of the 2026 Osun governorship election.
He emphasised that loyalty to President Bola Tinubu and the party structure must supersede personal ambition.
Speaking on TVC’s programme Politics Tonight, Omisore said he had no choice but to align with the President’s decision endorsing Bola Oyebamiji as the party’s preferred candidate.
He said, “Every party has a structure. In APC, we have a leader. Since the President agreed that this is the way to go, we have to follow.”
The former deputy governor of Osun noted that “Among all the aspirants, if we want to follow the progressives’ order, I am the most senior and the most experienced. That is why people say they should step down for me. But the wisdom of Mr President prevailed. He has his reasons, and as a party man and a Nigerian, you have to be loyal and obedient.”
Omisore stated that the President’s endorsement of Oyebamiji was final and must be respected by all party members, adding that he remained committed to working with the consensus candidate to ensure party unity and victory in 2026.
He also said he had no regrets about his past political moves, maintaining that his decisions had always been in the interest of progressive politics.
The APC Screening Committee had disqualified seven aspirants, including Omisore, former Deputy Governor Benedict Olugboyega Alabi, Akin Ogunbiyi, Prince Dotun Babayemi, Senator Babajide Omoworare, Kunle Adegoke (SAN), and Babatunde Haketer Oralusi. After agitations from the aspirants over concerns that the process favoured Oyebamiji, President Tinubu convened a meeting where all other aspirants eventually aligned with his choice.
