Voters in Osogbo, Ile-Ife, Ilesa, Ede and other parts of Osun State trooped out today to elect a governor for the next four years, amid a tense political atmosphere across the state.
Fifteen political parties are in the race, but the contest has narrowed to three major candidates: incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, Otunba Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Rt. Hon. Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Adeleke is seeking re-election after his 2022 victory on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He has since defected to the Accord Party ahead of this year’s poll, a move that has reshaped political calculations in the state and could split votes among his former PDP base.
The governor is campaigning on his first-term record and name recognition, with his team also appealing for a peaceful exercise as voters cast their ballots.
APC Banks on Structure, Federal Might
Oyebamiji is leaning on the APC’s wide-reaching political structure and backing from the Federal Government. With the PDP absent from the ballot, the party is hoping to capitalise on the vacuum, concentrating its efforts on Ife, Osogbo and the Ijesa axis in a bid to unseat the incumbent.
Salaam Positions ADC as Alternative
Najeem Salaam, a former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly (2011–2015), is pitching the ADC as an alternative to the two front-runners. His choice of Mrs Yemisi Agiri as running mate is also seen as a strategy to court female voters and broaden the party’s appeal.
Voters Weigh Bread-and-Butter Issues
Beyond party loyalties, residents say employment, education, healthcare and security are shaping their choices at the polls. Youth groups and market associations have held town hall meetings in the lead-up to the election, while civil society organisations sustained voter education drives urging citizens to collect their Permanent Voter Cards.
Security Beefed Up Across 30 LGAs
Security agencies have ramped up deployment ahead of the poll. Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu met with Governor Adeleke and party leaders, warning against any conduct capable of disrupting the process.
The Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Department of State Services and the Osun State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) are all expected to deploy personnel across the state’s 30 local government areas.
Observers to Monitor BVAS, Result Transmission
Election observers, including Yiaga Africa, the Transition Monitoring Group and the Centre for Democracy and Development, are on ground to track vote-buying, accreditation and result transmission. Their focus will also extend to INEC’s use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the Result Viewing Portal, both key to the transparency of the exercise.
INEC’s logistics will equally be under scrutiny — from the arrival of sensitive materials at polling units to the functionality of BVAS devices and the timely upload of results.
A Test of Incumbency vs Structure
The Osun poll is shaping up as a straight test between Adeleke’s incumbency and the APC’s organisational machinery, with the ADC and smaller parties fighting to establish themselves as credible alternatives.
Adeleke wants voters to judge him on his four-year record, while the APC is banking on its structure and capacity to swing the outcome in Oyebamiji’s favour. For the ADC and other parties, the election offers a chance to disrupt the dominance of the two leading camps.
Osun has a history of closely contested, often dramatic governorship elections. Today’s outcome will test whether Adeleke’s record and personal following can outmatch the opposition’s organisational strength.
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