The All Progressives Congress (APC) will inaugurate its National Campaign Council for the 15 August governorship election in Osun State on Tuesday in Abuja. The council, led by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, includes high-profile co-chairmen: Yobe State Governor Mala Buni, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and House of Representatives Speaker Abbas Tajudeen. The announcement came in a Sunday statement from APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka.
Council Leadership and Structure
According to Morka, the council also features Ibrahim Masari, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Political and Other Matters, as deputy chairman, and Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin as secretary. The APC has established 13 specialized sub-committees covering election planning, finance, grassroots mobilization, logistics, monitoring, protocol, media, security, youth, persons with disabilities, women, and secretariat functions.
Osun Election Dynamics
The upcoming Osun governorship race is among the most competitive in the South-West, partly due to the emergence of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a third force. The ADC is seen as a haven for aggrieved APC members, particularly loyalists of former Governor Rauf Aregbesola. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) cleared six parties, but the contest is expected to center on three candidates: incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke (Accord Party), Bola Oyebamiji (APC), and Najeem Salaam (ADC).
Adeleke, who left the PDP in November 2025 after winning the 2022 election on that platform, holds incumbency advantages: state resources, populist appeal, and strong support in Ede and Osun West. However, opposition fragmentation could benefit him if APC and ADC split the anti-incumbent vote.
APC Candidate Bola Oyebamiji
Oyebamiji, known as Ambo, is a former finance commissioner under ex-Governor Gboyega Oyetola (now minister of Marine and Blue Economy). His advantages include federal backing, existing Oyetola campaign structures, and business networks. Yet he faces challenges from Osogbo political actors who felt Oyetola neglected the state capital—citing a controversy over an army barracks nearly moved to Oyetola's hometown Iragbiji. Critics also note Oyetola's distant style compared to Aregbesola's grassroots engagement, and unresolved tensions between Oyetola and Aregbesola factions remain a liability.
The APC hopes the campaign council will unify party efforts and counter these internal divisions. With the election just months away, the council’s inauguration marks a critical step in the party’s strategy to reclaim Osun State.
