For the August 15, 2026, governorship election in Osun State, covert political realignments, planned vote-buying and politically motivated violence may go a long way in deciding the outcome of the poll. TIMOTHY AGBOR writes.
Some prominent political leaders in Osun State are silently aligning with opposing forces ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in the state. These alignments involve strategic defections and quiet negotiations that are already shifting political calculations and redefining the contest for the Oke-Fia Government House.
In line with the electoral history of the state, the August 15 election will be mainly dominated by two major political parties — the ruling Accord Party and the major opposition, All Progressives Congress (APC).
Many politicians who are eyeing the governorship seat for the 2030 poll have been engaging in covert political realignments, notwithstanding their different political platforms. These succession intrigues playing out are already causing cracks within the major opposition party.
Some governorship aspirants who have been denied tickets are redirecting their strength towards ensuring that they are well positioned after the election.
At the centre of this unfolding political calculation is the Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, who is seeking re-election using the Accord Party platform. Though the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) brought him to power, the governor left the crisis-ridden party to save himself from any possible political landmine against his re-election bid. The entire PDP structure has collapsed into Accord Party to retain power.
Riding behind Adeleke in political popularity is the candidate of the APC, Bola Oyebamiji, better known as AMBO. The candidates of the other 12 political parties certified by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to contest the poll include Najeem Salam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC); Farinloye Olarenwaju of the Action Alliance (AC); Esan Olajide of the African Action Congress (AAC); Adeagbo Opawoye of the African Democratic Party (ADP); Adesina Adeyemi-Doro of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Adewale Adebayo of the Allied People Movement (APM).
