Osun Poll: Adeleke, Oyebamiji, Salaam Lead 13-Candidate Race
With just days to the Osun State governorship election, candidates across the state’s 30 local government areas are intensifying their campaigns, moving from community to community to present their records, programmes and promises to voters.
Although 14 candidates were initially listed for the election, the All Progressives Grand Alliance candidate, Adesina Adeyemi-Doro, recently withdrew from the race and endorsed the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji. His name, however, will still appear on the ballot.
The contest has increasingly shaped up as a three-way battle between incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, APC candidate Oyebamiji and the African Democratic Congress candidate, Najeem Salaam.
About 2.4 million registered voters are expected to vote across 3,763 polling units in 332 wards and 30 local government areas.
The candidates come from different professional and political backgrounds, including banking, medicine, academia, business, public administration and politics.
Ademola Adeleke — Accord Party
The incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke, is seeking a second term after winning the 2022 election against former governor Gboyega Oyetola.
Adeleke, a businessman and former senator, won the 2022 election with 403,371 votes against Oyetola’s 375,027 votes, winning in 17 of the state’s 30 local government areas.
Before becoming governor, he represented Osun West in the Senate between 2017 and 2019.
Adeleke comes from a prominent political family. His late elder brother, Isiaka Adeleke, was Osun’s first civilian governor and later a senator, while his younger brother, Adedeji Adeleke, is a businessman and founder of Adeleke University. He is also the uncle of Nigerian music star Davido.
His campaign is built around his administration’s record in infrastructure, workers’ welfare, healthcare and education, while he is also seeking to capitalise on his popularity and grassroots support.
Bola Oyebamiji — APC
Bola Oyebamiji, popularly known as AMBO, is the APC candidate and one of Adeleke’s major challengers.
The 60-year-old banker, economist and public administrator is from Ikire in Irewole Local Government Area.
He previously served as Osun State Commissioner for Finance under former governors Rauf Aregbesola and Gboyega Oyetola. He later became managing director and chief executive officer of the National Inland Waterways Authority, a position he left in 2025 to pursue his governorship ambition.
His campaign has placed emphasis on his experience in public finance and administration, as well as his links with the APC political structure in the state.
Najeem Salaam — ADC
Najeem Salaam, 61, is the African Democratic Congress candidate.
The former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly holds a doctorate in political science from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
Salaam served as Speaker during the administration of Rauf Aregbesola and has remained active in Osun politics for several years.
His campaign has focused on workers’ welfare, education, youth empowerment, security, local businesses and improving electricity supply across the state.
His candidacy gives voters a third major option outside the Adeleke-APC rivalry.
Olanrewaju Farinloye — AA
Olanrewaju Farinloye is the Action Alliance candidate and, at 40, is among the younger contenders.
He is contesting the election alongside Fadahunsi Olaniyi.
Olajide Esan — AAC
Olajide Esan, 39, is the African Action Congress candidate.
An entrepreneur, car dealer and geographer, Esan has presented himself as a youth-oriented candidate.
His campaign has focused on agriculture, mining, technology, economic diversification and reducing Osun’s dependence on federal allocations.
Yemisi Opawoye — ADP
Yemisi Opawoye is the African Democratic Party candidate and the only woman in the race.
A retired school principal with a Bachelor of Education degree, she is also the oldest candidate on the ballot at 84.
She is contesting alongside 43-year-old Atanda Babatunde.
Adewale Adebayo — APM
Adewale Adebayo is the Allied Peoples Movement candidate and a real estate developer.
He is the chief executive officer of Tri Edge Real Estate and previously served as chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council in Osun.
His campaign has focused on economic development and improving the state’s political and administrative structures.
Clement Adesuyi — APP
Clement Adesuyi is the Action Peoples Party candidate.
He emerged as the party’s candidate in December 2025 after being the sole aspirant at its primary.
His campaign focuses on youth empowerment, healthcare, education and infrastructure.
Masilo Adeleke — BP
Masilo Adeleke is contesting under the Boot Party.
A graduate of the University of Ilorin, he previously contested the 2023 senatorial election but was unsuccessful.
Taofeek Adeleke — NNPP
Taofeek Adeleke is the New Nigeria Peoples Party candidate.
His campaign centres on inclusive governance, grassroots development, education, healthcare, security and infrastructure.
He has also promoted an “Education for All” agenda as one of the key pillars of his campaign.
Saliu Oyelami — PRP
Saliu Oyelami, popularly known as Orisunlagba, is the Peoples Redemption Party candidate.
A medical doctor with more than two decades of experience, he has worked in several medical institutions, including the Osogbo Muslim Hospital and University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital.
He also contested the 2022 Osun governorship election on the NNPP platform.
Olalekan Ogunsakin — YPP
Olalekan Ogunsakin is the Young Progressives Party candidate.
He is a Nigerian-American physician-scientist, pathologist, toxicologist and medical educator.
He studied medicine at Obafemi Awolowo University and later obtained a PhD from Tulane University in the United States.
Olufemi Adesuyi — ZLP
Olufemi Adesuyi is the Zenith Labour Party candidate.
A registered building contractor, he runs a construction business specialising in structural detailing, ceilings, painting, wall screeding and other building services.
What Voters Are Saying
Beyond the candidates’ campaigns, voters are also weighing issues such as employment, infrastructure, federal support and the records of previous administrations.
For Bolanle Waheed, the APC’s Oyebamiji is the strongest candidate because of his perceived relationship with the Federal Government.
He believes such a relationship could give Osun greater access to federal opportunities and support.
However, Waheed said unemployment remains his biggest concern and urged the next administration to focus on attracting industries and creating jobs.
He also expressed reservations about Oyebamiji’s previous roles under the Aregbesola and Oyetola administrations, particularly because of the controversies surrounding the Oyetola government.
Another voter, Biodun Ogunlana, believes Adeleke has the advantage because of incumbency, name recognition and his grassroots network.
He also pointed to Adeleke’s 2022 victory over an incumbent governor as evidence of his electoral strength.
With the election approaching, the major contenders are expected to intensify their final mobilisation efforts as voters prepare to decide who will lead Osun State for the next four years.
