Osun 2026: Adeleke sails into stormy political waters

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke is heading into a potentially turbulent re-election campaign for the 2026 governorship race. Political maneuvering, evolving alliances, and escalating security worries are making the upcoming contest one of the most scrutinized in the region.

With the election approaching, anxiety is mounting over the possibility of violence and electoral fraud disrupting the process. The state, once peaceful, has reportedly become a hotspot for political killings and violent confrontations. On August 15, registered voters will cast their ballots across 3,763 polling units. While 14 political parties are participating, the main contenders are Governor Adeleke of the Accord Party, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress.

Adeleke and Oyebamiji have largely dominated the political arena, with many residents blaming both parties for the persistent political killings. Allegations suggest the enlistment of cultists, particularly members of the Aiye and Eiye confraternities, to attack opponents. Some candidates are also rumored to be cultists themselves, facilitating recruitment.

In 2022, Adeleke defeated the incumbent APC Governor Adegboyega Oyetola by a margin of 28,344 votes. His victory was attributed to divisions within the APC and a wave of sentiment and sympathy. Factors that aided Adeleke's success included security support and a perceived neutral stance from the presidency under the late President Muhammadu Buhari. Three years later, Adeleke, known by his 'Imole' moniker, continues to hold support from voters outside his party. Civil servants and pensioners largely appear committed to his re-election, bolstered by a spirited campaign from the 25 members of the state House of Assembly. He has also gained the backing of supporters of former deputy governor Iyiola Omisore, who has distanced himself from the APC campaign. Omisore's loyalists, including former commissioners and special advisers, have switched to the Accord Party in protest against the disqualification of the former APC National Secretary from the party's governorship primary.

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Adeleke leveraged the division in the APC, as well as the sentiment and sympathy that he won the 2018 governorship election, to unseat the incumbent.