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By James Bamgbose
There is something happening in Osun politics that many people still refuse to accept. The old way of doing things, the days when people voted simply because of a party logo are gone. Osun people have changed. They have grown wiser, tougher, and more intentional about their future. It will be about human beings. It will be about faces, character, trust, and personal credibility.
Across Nigeria, the old political logic that parties win elections has collapsed. The new order is clear: credible candidates win elections, while political parties merely provide the paperwork. And because of that, the 2026 election will not be a war between logos, slogans, or recycled manifestoes.
Anyone walking around today thinking a party name alone can install a governor in Osun is deceiving themselves. The people have tasted disappointment from politicians who hid under party colours. They have watched promises evaporate. They have seen how party supremacy can empower leaders who do not understand the pains of ordinary citizens. That era is dead.
What we see now is a new Osun, where people debate candidates in their homes, their shops, their farms, their WhatsApp groups, and even at beer parlours. Conversations like “Which party are you supporting?” have been replaced with “Who exactly is this man?” “What has he done before?” “Does he care about us?” “Can we trust him?” This is the real Osun of today.
The 2022 election proved this clearly. Adeleke did not win only because PDP suddenly became a miracle-working machine. He won also because he connected to the hearts of the people. Because they saw a human being who felt reachable, relatable, and sincere. People were not chanting PDP; they were chanting Adeleke. That was the difference.
Even those who traditionally supported the other side crossed over quietly because, deep down, they trusted the man more than the logo.
And let’s be honest the people were tired. Tired of arrogance. Tired of being ignored. Tired of feeling like their voices didn’t matter. So when a man came who looked like he actually cared, they followed him. Not the party, the man.
Even in 2018, with all the political drama and tension, you could feel the shift. People were more interested in the candidates than in the parties. They weren’t looking at slogans; they were weighing personalities. The margin of difference in votes was not a party issue, it was a human issue.
The same thing has happened. The PObidient movement in 2023 shook the country because Nigerians followed a personality, not a political structure. In Oyo State, Seyi Makinde’s re-election was another testimony. The people crossed traditional party lines to vote for a performer, not a party. That same spirit is breathing strongly in Osun again.
Osun voters are tired of politicians who hide behind big parties to sell incompetence. The people have suffered enough to understand that parties do not govern, individuals do. So in 2026, the question will not be “Which party?” but “WHO exactly is the candidate?” What does he represent? What has he done? What can he do? How has he treated people long before election season?
Candidates who cannot answer these questions convincingly will crumble, even if they are standing on the shoulders of the biggest political party in Nigeria. You cannot bully people into choosing a candidate they don’t trust. You cannot hide a weak candidate under a big party name and expect Osun people to swallow it. They won’t. Those days are gone.
In today’s Osun, arrogance is political cancer. Any candidate who thinks power will fall on their laps because of party identity is setting themselves up for a painful dose of reality. The voters of today want someone with empathy. Someone who knows what hardship feels like. Someone who understands that civil servants have children in school. That farmers struggle with rising costs. That young people are tired of unemployment. That traders are battling inflation. That pensioners need dignity, not excuses.
This election will test the heart of every candidate. Social media has opened people’s eyes. The influence of social media has also exposed candidates beyond party packaging. Every misstep, hypocrisy, or poor track record is magnified instantly.
The people are watching closely. The streets are awake. Market women talk politics with confidence. Young people analyse budgets and government actions. Religious leaders are more cautious about who they endorse. Communities now ask for results, not empty promises. The people have tasted the power of their vote, and they will not surrender it back to party elites.
In 2026, even the strongest party in Osun will collapse if it presents a candidate the people cannot feel or be trusted. Voters will quietly cross party lines as they have done before to follow the candidate who speaks to their hearts.
You can sense this energy everywhere. At motor parks, drivers say, “We go follow person wey don help us, no be party.” Teachers talk about leadership, not logo. Civil servants say, “We know who treats us right.” Youths say, “Show us your record.” This is the new Osun.
Parties must understand this reality. If they bring candidates who lack humility, compassion, or competence, the people will embarrass them at the polls. But if they bring someone with character, someone with a human touch, someone who has earned the trust of ordinary people, they stand a chance no matter their political party.
2026 will be a political mirror that reflects the true image of every candidate. It will expose who is real and who is pretending. Who is ready and who is entitled. Who has worked and who has merely spoken. This is why weak candidates are afraid of 2026. They know the people will not be gentle. They will vote for vision, character, and capacity. Not for noise, not for godfathers, not for political entitlement. They know that Osun voters no longer say, “We vote for party.” The new chorus is “We vote for person.”
At the end of the day, Osun 2026 belongs to the candidate who carries the trust of the people. Not the party with the largest rally. Not the party with the loudest propaganda. Not the party with the deepest pockets.
Osun people will once again decide their future and they will choose based on the quality of the candidate, not the colour of the party flag. Parties may roar, but only candidates will win.
•James Bamgbose writes from Igbajo, Boluwaduro Local Government, Osun State. He can be reached via bamgbosejames9@gmail.com.
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