The Osun State governorship election, scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026, will feature 14 candidates on the ballot, but three have emerged as the most prominent contenders: incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Najeem Salam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Incumbent Adeleke Seeks Second Term
Governor Ademola Adeleke, widely known as "Imole," is seeking re-election after a dramatic political journey. He first ran for governor in 2018 under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but lost to Adegboyega Oyetola. However, in 2022, he defeated the then-incumbent Oyetola and was sworn in on November 27 of that year, according to Channels TV.
Adeleke's political career began earlier, in July 2017, when he won a Senate seat representing Osun West, filling the vacancy left by the death of his elder brother, Adetunji Adeleke. Now, the Ede indigene is campaigning on his administration's achievements in infrastructure, health, and agriculture as the basis for a second term.
Oyebamiji Brings Financial Expertise
On the APC side, Bola Oyebamiji, a banker and financial expert from Ikire in Irewole Local Government Area, is making his financial and administrative record central to his campaign. He served as Osun's Commissioner for Finance from 2017 to 2022, spanning the later years of Rauf Aregbesola's tenure and the full term of Adegboyega Oyetola.
Oyebamiji later became Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) before resigning in November 2025 to focus on his governorship bid. Popularly called "AMBO," a shortening of his full name, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, he is leveraging his experience in both public service and finance to appeal to voters.
Salam Returns with Higher Ambitions
Najeem Salam, the ADC candidate, is a familiar figure in Osun politics. A native of Ejigbo with a doctorate in political science, Salam won a seat in the State House of Assembly in 2011 after an earlier 2007 victory was annulled by the Court of Appeal over a ballot paper error.
He rose to become Speaker of the House in June 2011, served until 2015, and returned to the Assembly again from 2017 to 2019. Known among supporters as "Iwaloye," he is now targeting the governorship for the first time, bringing his legislative experience to the race.
The Rest of the Field
Beyond the three frontrunners, 11 other candidates are also in the race, including Adewale Adebayo of the Allied Peoples Movement, Saliu Oyelami of the Peoples Redemption Party, and Olalekan Ogunsakin of the Young Progressives Party. The field also includes the election's only female candidate, Yemisi Adeagbo of the African Democratic Party, a retired school principal aged 84.
When voting opens on August 15, the people of Osun State will determine which of the 14 candidates earns the mandate to govern the State of the Living Spring for the next four years.
Grassroots Mobilisation Advice
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that politician and media executive Babatunde Michael Abimboye urged Governor Adeleke and the Imole Campaign Council to focus on grassroots mobilisation and citizen participation rather than relying on assurances from the Federal Government ahead of future elections. Speaking with journalists in Lagos, Abimboye said recent developments in Osun raised concerns about the political atmosphere and security situation.
