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The Osun State Government has described the array of governorship aspirants paraded by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state as politically deficient and unelectable, asserting that none of them poses a credible threat to Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election bid in 2026.
In a strongly worded statement issued by the Governor’s Spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, the administration took a swipe at prominent APC leaders and aspirants including Senator Iyiola Omisore, Prince Dotun Babayemi, Senator Ajibola Bashiru, and Mr. Biodun Oyebamiji, dismissing their chances as flimsy and built on propaganda.
Rasheed was responding to recent criticisms of the Adeleke-led administration by Omisore and Babayemi, who had questioned the state of governance under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the buildup to the 2026 polls.
Describing the APC aspirants as individuals “launching their political campaigns on the wrong notes,” the spokesperson maintained that Governor Adeleke enjoys over 75 percent approval rating across the state, backed by tangible achievements in infrastructure, workers’ welfare, and inclusive governance.
“From A to Z, Osun APC guber aspirants are politically deficient politicians who cannot by any stretch of imagination match the sterling records of Governor Ademola Adeleke in less than three years in office or pose any electoral threat to the re-election of the Governor in 2026,” Rasheed said.
He particularly criticized Senator Omisore, accusing him of benefitting from Adeleke’s infrastructural projects in Ile Ife, including a major road passing through his family house—one left unattended during his time in office.
“Ile Ife people may also want to know why the Ife stadium and waterworks were abandoned even when Senator Omisore had all the opportunities to complete them. Tales of abandoned projects raise a lot of questions about the senator’s public service records,” Rasheed added.
The statement further pointed out that Omisore himself had visited and photographed Adeleke’s flagship flyover project in Ife, an act interpreted as silent endorsement.
Turning attention to Osogbo, the state capital, Rasheed said indigenes have warned APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Bashiru, to shelve any 2026 ambition, citing Adeleke’s popularity in the city due to ongoing development projects and infrastructure renewal.
He also criticized Prince Dotun Babayemi of Gbongan, accusing him of undermining the Adeleke administration’s achievements, including the reconstruction of a collapsed bridge and various road projects in the town.
“Prince Babayemi committed a practical error by failing to acknowledge the Oke Fia intersection and Lameco junction as major traffic points. Moreover, he makes himself an enemy of Osogbo people by opposing development of the capital city,” the statement said.
On Mr. Biodun Oyebamiji, Rasheed described the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) boss as a political lightweight with no serious footing in Osun politics, adding that his tenure at the federal agency has been marked by reports of inefficiency and anti-labour tendencies.
“In contrast,” Rasheed asserted, “Governor Adeleke has demonstrated sincerity of purpose, pro-people delivery of services, and a genuine commitment to good governance that has endeared him to the people across all zones of the state.”
He concluded that Osun residents will not gamble with their future by backing candidates with poor public records and weak structures, stressing that only the PDP under Governor Adeleke can guarantee continued progress.
Political observers view this as the clearest indication yet that Governor Adeleke is gearing up for a strong second-term bid, buoyed by what his supporters describe as a growing popularity built on performance.
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