With 15 candidates in the race, about 2.3 million registered voters are set to decide who will occupy the Osun State Government House for the next four years, making the election a crucial test of the state’s political direction.

(FILES) A ballot box in the Senate on June 13, 2023. Photo: Channels TV/Sodiq Adelakun

The road to the August 15 governorship election is entering its final stretch in Osun State, with 15 candidates seeking the votes that could take them to the Osun State Government House.

While the contest features candidates from 15 political parties, three names have emerged as prominent contenders in the race: incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Bola Oyebamiji, and African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate Najeem Salam.

Incumbent Seeks Another Term

For the candidates, the campaign has taken them across the state’s 30 local government areas as they seek to make their case to voters ahead of Saturday’s election.

For Adeleke, the election presents an opportunity to defend the mandate he secured in 2022 and seek another four-year term. The Ede indigene was a businessman and corporate administrator in Nigeria and the United States before entering politics. His first governorship bid came in 2018 under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), when he lost to APC candidate Adegboyega Oyetola.

Four years later, Adeleke returned to the contest and defeated Oyetola, who was then the incumbent governor. He was sworn in as governor on November 27, 2022.

His political career had earlier taken him to the Senate. In July 2017, he was elected to represent Osun West Senatorial District, replacing his late elder brother, Adetunji Adeleke.

Now known in political circles as “Imole”, Adeleke is seeking another mandate on the strength of what he describes as his administration’s achievements in infrastructure, health, agriculture and other sectors.

Experienced Banker, Public Administrator

The APC’s Oyebamiji enters the contest with experience in banking, finance and public administration.

He served as Osun State Commissioner for Finance during the second term of former governor Rauf Aregbesola and the administration of Oyetola from 2017 to 2022.

An indigene of Ikire in the Irewole Local Government Area of the Osun West Senatorial District, Oyebamiji is popularly known as “AMBO”, an acronym of his full name, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji.

His public-sector experience extended to the federal level, where he served as Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority. He resigned from the position in November 2025 to pursue the governorship.

He is now taking that experience into a statewide contest for the mandate to lead Osun.

A Familiar Figure

The ADC candidate, Najeem Salam, is another familiar figure in Osun politics.

A native of Ejigbo in the Ejigbo Local Government Area, Salam, popularly known among his political associates and supporters as “Iwaloye”, holds a doctorate in political science.

His legislative career began in 2007 when he was elected to represent Ejigbo Constituency in the Osun State House of Assembly. The victory was later nullified by the Court of Appeal in 2009 over an omission of his party’s logo on the ballot paper.

Salam returned to the contest in 2011, won the seat and became Speaker in June of that year. He served as Speaker from 2011 to 2015 and was re-elected in 2017, remaining in the Assembly until 2019.

He is now seeking the state’s highest political office.

A Wider Field

Beyond the three prominent contenders, 12 other candidates are on the ballot.

They are Olanrewaju Farinloye of the Action Alliance; Olajide Esan of the African Action Congress; Adeagbo Opawoye of the African Democratic Party; Adesina Adeyemi-Doro of the All Progressives’ Grand Alliance; Adewale Adebayo of the Allied Peoples Movement; Clement Adesuyi of the Action Peoples Party; Masilo Adeleke of the Boot Party; Taofeek Adeleke of the New Nigeria Peoples Party; Saliu Oyelami of the Peoples Redemption Party; Olalekan Ogunsakin of the Young Progressives Party; Francis Ajala of the Social Democratic Party; and Adefemi Adesuyi of the Zenith Labour Party.

Yemisi Adeagbo of the African Democratic Party is the only female candidate in the race. She is a retired school principal and is 84 years old.

Security Takes Centre Stage

With election day approaching, security preparations have also intensified.

Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu has barred the Western Nigeria Security Network, popularly known as Amotekun, as well as other quasi-security groups and private security organisations, from election-security duties.

He also restated the ban on armed escorts, security aides and other unauthorised persons accompanying political figures or VIPs to polling units and collation centres.

Disu warned political actors, their supporters and intending troublemakers that ballot snatching, voter intimidation, political thuggery and other electoral offences would attract arrest and prosecution.

The IGP has also deployed Deputy Inspector-General of Police Ishyaku Mohammed to coordinate security operations for the election.

He will work with other security agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, supported by Assistant Inspectors-General and Commissioners of Police deployed across the state’s three senatorial districts.

The police said adequate arrangements have been made to protect voters, INEC personnel, election materials, polling units, collation centres, accredited observers and media practitioners before, during and after the election.

Parties Commit To Peaceful Poll

The candidates and their parties also signed a peace accord in July, reaffirming their commitment to a peaceful, free and credible election.

The accord was facilitated by the Osun Development Association during a Governance and Election Integrity Summit in Osogbo, attended by representatives of INEC, security agencies, traditional and religious leaders, political parties and civil society organisations.

The Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Oluwatoyin Babalola, said the integrity of the electoral process was a collective responsibility and urged stakeholders to place peace, patriotism and the interest of the state above political ambition.

The summit ended with representatives of participating political parties signing the peace accord and pledging to conduct their campaigns peacefully while upholding the principles of free, fair and credible elections.

Now, with August 15 approaching, the campaigns, promises and political calculations are giving way to the ballot. The decision ultimately rests with Osun voters, who will choose the candidate to lead the State of the Living Spring.