With less than two days to the Osun governorship election, political parties are intensifying their final efforts to win voters across the state. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has confirmed 2,339,233 registered voters for the election, as candidates seek to secure the support needed to emerge victorious.
Although 15 candidates are contesting the election, only three have significantly pushed their campaigns and manifestoes across the state. Among them is incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, whose re-election bid has been built around his record in office, political alliances and grassroots support.
A major advantage for Adeleke is his position as the incumbent governor. His administration has also attracted support from sections of the civil service and organised labour, with the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress, TUC, and Joint Negotiating Council, JNC, featuring in his campaign activities. Infrastructure development has been another major pillar of Adeleke’s campaign.
His supporters have pointed to projects executed across Osun’s three senatorial districts as evidence of his administration’s performance and a basis for another term. The governor also appears to have secured support from some traditional rulers, including the Ataoja of Osogbo, who has publicly backed Adeleke and the Accord Party on different occasions.
Another political advantage is the growth of the Accord Party since Adeleke moved from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, through which he won the governorship election in 2022. The PDP’s failure to field a candidate in the 2026 election has further strengthened Adeleke’s position, as sections of its political structure continue to support his re-election bid.
The defection of several political associates of former Osun Deputy Governor and Senator Iyiola Omisore has also added to Adeleke’s political strength. Although Omisore himself remains in the APC, several of his associates, including former commissioners and special advisers who served under former Governor Gboyega Oyetola, have moved to the Accord Party following disagreements surrounding the APC primary.
Adeleke is also expected to perform strongly in Osun West, where he secured a significant margin in the 2022 election. However, the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, is also from the same senatorial district, creating the possibility of a division of votes. The Ede federal constituency, where Adeleke originates, has 319,489 registered voters across Ede North, Ede South, Egbedore and Ejigbo local government areas. Political figures across other parts of the state could also influence the governor’s fortunes.
In Ijesaland, figures including Ibukun Fadipe, Sunday Bisi and Disu Babatunde are expected to contribute to Adeleke’s campaign. In Osun Central, supporters point to the influence of the Ataoja of Osogbo, Secretary to the State Government Teslim Igbalaye, Gani Ola-Oluwa and House of Representatives member Morufu Adewale as potential advantages for the governor.
Despite these advantages, Adeleke’s administration faces criticism over some of its policies since assuming office. Opposition parties have repeatedly cited the dismissal of teachers and health workers without immediate replacements as a weakness in his record. The sack of workers attached to state-owned broadcast stations and what opponents describe as inadequate recruitment into the civil service have also featured in criticisms of the administration.
The governor is further facing allegations of nepotism over recent recruitment exercises into the teaching service and the University of Ilesa. Critics have alleged that the recruitment favoured applicants from Ede at the expense of candidates from other parts of the state. The administration’s supporters have disputed such criticisms.
Adeleke’s opponents are also expected to make his performance in agriculture, healthcare, commerce, industry and education central to their final campaign arguments. Questions about the administration’s achievements and shortcomings in these sectors could influence voters as they assess whether to retain the governor.
Another challenge comes from a bloc within the PDP associated with former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola. The group has publicly withdrawn its support for Adeleke and declared backing for the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, candidate, Adewale Adebayo.
As voters prepare to cast their ballots, Adeleke’s incumbency, infrastructure record, labour support and expanding political network remain important assets. At the same time, criticisms over employment policies, sectoral performance and defections among some former allies could test his ability to convert those advantages into another electoral victory.
