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The political temperature in Osun State ahead of the 2026 governorship race rose yesterday as former Deputy Governor Benedict Alabi formally declared his ambition to fly the All Progressives Congress (APC) flag.
Alabi, who served under former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola between 2018 and 2022, unveiled his interest in Osogbo while addressing journalists.
He hinged his aspiration on what he described as the “experience” he garnered during his four-year stint in government.
He also denied insinuations that his former boss, now Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Oyetola, has a preferred aspirant in the APC fold. He dismissed the claim that Alhaji Bola Oyebamiji, Oyetola’s ex-Commissioner for Finance, enjoys the minister’s backing, describing such talk as “street gossip.”
“I believe strongly that our leader has no preferred candidate. He has said so, and he is a man of his word,” Alabi stressed.
However, Osun Spring Newspaper independently maintains that the opposition APC faces an uphill battle in dislodging Adeleke, whose grassroots popularity, pro-people programmes, and visible infrastructure renewal projects have placed him in strong stead ahead of 2026.
The declaration has done little to unsettle the camp of Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), whose performance in office continues to receive commendations across party lines.
Since assuming office, Adeleke has embarked on aggressive road rehabilitation, revitalised the health and education sectors, and prioritised workers’ welfare, earning him the tag ‘Imole of Osun’ among the people.
We report that the proliferation of aspirants in the APC only reinforces the party’s internal fractures, contrasting with the relative unity within the ruling PDP under Adeleke’s leadership.
“As it stands, Governor Adeleke remains the man to beat. His style of inclusive governance, backed by tangible projects across local governments, makes it difficult for the opposition to mount a serious challenge,” a political analyst in Osogbo told The Nation.
With Alabi now officially in the race, APC’s ticket contest promises to be keenly contested. But for many Osun residents, the bigger question remains whether the opposition can muster the strength to rival a sitting governor whose performance continues to endear him to the electorate.
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