Osun Election: Governor Adeleke – strengths, weaknesses

By Shina Abubakar, OSOGBO With less than two days to the governorship election in Osun State and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, confirming that 2,339, 233 residents registered to participate in the polls, candidates and political parties are rounding up campaign and intensifying moves to warm themselves into the hearts of the people with a view to winning their support to emerge as the next Governor of the state. Out of the 15 candidates, only three have presented manifestoes and commenced campaigns. Governor Ademola Adeleke of Accord Party is one of them.

Strengths Apart from being the incumbent governor, he also enjoyed acceptability among the majority of civil servants and the leadership of the labour unions; the NLC, TUC and JNC are all on his side and appearing in the Accord party campaign soliciting support for the governor. The Governor is also banking on his achievements in the area of infrastructure across the three senatorial districts, which has been driving his campaigns so far. It is also a major point for his party members and supporters.

In addition, the Ede-born politician seems to be enjoying the backing of some traditional rulers in the state, led by the Ataoja of Osogbo, who on different occasions publicly declared support for the Governor and Accord party despite resistance from his subjects. Also, Adeleke’s popularity has extended to the party, with the Accord party becoming more popular than the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, through which he won the governorship poll about four years ago. The PDP’s failure to field a candidate for the 2026 polls in the state is more of an advantage for the Governor’s re-election bid as the party’s structure, apart from a few strong men, still works for the Accord.

Omisore’s loyalists’ defection Another major advantage the governor has is the defection of Senator Iyiola Omisore’s loyalists to the Accord Party due to the fallout of the APC primaries. Although Omisore did not leave the APC, many of his associates who served in the Gboyega Oyetola administration, including three commissioners and special advisers, left the party and joined the Accord. It is also believed that Governor Adeleke has an advantage in the Osun-West Senatorial District, where he won massively in 2022.

Interestingly, the APC candidate is also from the district, which may lead to a division of votes cast duri… Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress, APC, is one of them. Strengths The APC candidate is believed to enjoy the support of President Bola Tinubu and the APC governors, who will stop at nothing to ensure victory for the party at the polls.

The APC candidate’s personality and philanthropy has endeared him to the people. Apart from being endorsed by the President, Oyebamiji’s election bid receive a major boost with the defection of all the federal lawmakers from Osun-East senatorial district, who are also major political gladiators from the towns. They include Senator Francis Fadahunsi, Mr Wole Oke (Ijesa-North federal constituency), Sanya Omirin (Ijesa-South federal constituency) and Mr Taofeek Ajilesoro (Ife federal constituency).