Media mogul Dele Momodu has called on all opposition parties in Osun State to rally behind Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party ahead of the August 15, 2026 governorship election. Momodu, a self-declared member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), made this appeal in a statement on his X account on Tuesday, August 11, warning that a divided opposition would hand the All Progressives Congress (APC) an easy victory.
Why Momodu Urges Opposition Unity
Momodu argued that supporting Adeleke is the only sensible strategy to prevent the APC from exploiting divisions among opposition parties. He described the APC as having turned Osun State into "a theater of war," and stressed that opposition forces must act pragmatically rather than along party lines.
"Governor Adeleke has been a global phenomenon who would easily defeat President Tinubu himself in a popularity contest," Momodu wrote, praising Adeleke as the best-performing governor in Nigeria across sectors like infrastructure, health, education, and women empowerment.
ADC Member Crosses Party Lines
Despite his ADC membership, Momodu emphasized that political pragmatism should override party loyalty. He recalled joining the ADC as part of a broad coalition to challenge the APC's impact on Nigeria's economy and democratic institutions, but acknowledged that the coalition did not materialize as hoped in the 2023 presidential election.
Momodu warned, "We should never supply the APC an easy alibi to rig the OSUN gubernatorial election on August 15, 2026." He called on opposition figures to "confront reality" and unite behind Adeleke, framing his endorsement as commonsense rather than sentiment.
Osun 2026: Three Main Contenders
The Osun governorship election, scheduled for August 15, 2026, features 14 candidates, but three are considered frontrunners: incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke (Accord Party), Bola Oyebamiji (APC), and Najeem Salam (ADC). Momodu's call for unity aims to consolidate opposition support behind Adeleke to counter the APC's influence.
