The All Progressives Congress (APC) will on Tuesday inaugurate its National Campaign Council for the 15 August off-cycle governorship election in Osun State.
The inauguration will take place in Abuja.
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The party announced that the council will be chaired by the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, while the Governor of Yobe State, Mala Buni, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, will serve as co-chairmen.
The announcement was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka.
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“The National Campaign Council is chaired by H.E. Senator Hope Uzodimma, CON, Governor of Imo State and Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum.
‘The Council has H.E. Hon. Mai Mala Buni, CON, Governor of Yobe State; H.E. Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, GCON, President of the Senate; and Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, GCON, Speaker of the House of Representatives, as Co-Chairman,” the statement read.
The party also announced that Ibrahim Masari, the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Political and Other Matters, will serve as deputy chairman, while the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, will serve as secretary of the council.
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“Hon. Ibrahim Kabir Masari, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Political and Other Matters, serves as Deputy Chairman, while Senator Barau I. Jibrin, CON, Deputy President of the Senate, is the Secretary of the Council.”
The APC said it had also constituted specialised sub-committees to ensure seamless coordination and effective execution of campaign activities.
The committees cover election planning and management, finance and resource mobilisation, contact and grassroots mobilisation, logistics and campaign management, monitoring and compliance, protocol, media and publicity, security, youth mobilisation, mobilisation of persons with disabilities, women’s mobilisation, and secretariat functions.
Osun governorship race at a glance
The forthcoming governorship election in Osun State is shaping up to be one of the most competitive political contests in the South-west in recent years.
For decades, Osun politics has largely revolved around a two-horse race. However, the emergence of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a viable third force has fundamentally altered the political calculations ahead of the election.
Unlike previous election cycles, where contests were shaped mainly by political influence and established structures, the ADC’s rise has increased competitiveness because of its perception as a political shelter for aggrieved APC members, especially loyalists of Rauf Aregbesola, who is a former governor of the state and younger political actors seeking an alternative to both the Adeleke political dynasty and the Oyetola tendency.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) cleared six parties for participation in the election. Realistically, however, the race is expected to revolve around three major candidates: Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, Bola Oyebamiji of the APC, and Najeem Salaam of the ADC.
These three dominant camps are expected to shape the election because of their structures, funding capacity, grassroots campaigns, elite endorsements, and statewide visibility.
Mr Adeleke enters the race with the strongest advantage of incumbency. Control of state structures, access to government influence, visibility through projects and welfare initiatives, and his enduring populist appeal remain major assets.
He resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in November 2025, the platform on which he contested and defeated Gboyega Oyetola of the APC in 2022 despite being in opposition.
Mr Adeleke also retains strong support in Ede and across large sections of the Osun West political bloc. His administration’s populist, accessible, and media-friendly style continues to resonate with ordinary voters, especially youth and civil servants who view him as more relatable than the technocratic style associated with previous APC administrations.
Another factor that could benefit Mr Adeleke is the fragmentation within the opposition. If the APC and ADC substantially divide anti-incumbent votes, the governor could emerge victorious even without an overwhelming majority.
However, there are visible weaknesses in his candidacy.
Mr Oyebamiji, popularly known as Ambo, represents the establishment wing of the APC aligned with Mr Oyetola, now minister of Marine and Blue Economy.
His candidacy benefits from several factors. First is the federal advantage associated with the APC at the national level. Second is the existing campaign structure built over the years by Mr Oyetola. Mr Oyebamiji served as commissioner for finance during Mr Oyetola’s single term as governor. Third is access to powerful business and political networks within Osun.
However, Mr Oyebamiji’s biggest challenge may ironically come from Osogbo itself. He is a native of Ikire in Irewole Local Government Area, which is also located in Osun West.
Many Osogbo political actors believe Mr Oyetola failed to identify with the state capital during his administration sufficiently. One frequently referenced example is the controversy surrounding the siting of an army barracks in Osogbo. There were reports that the project could have been moved to Iragbiji, Mr Oyetola’s hometown, before intervention from Osogbo leaders who insisted it remain in the capital.
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That episode created lingering suspicion among some political stakeholders that Mr Oyetola was not fully committed to Osogbo’s interests.
There are also deeper cultural and emotional complaints against the Oyetola political tendency. Critics accuse him of maintaining a distant political style unlike Mr Aregbesola, who cultivated grassroots loyalty through regular interaction with traders, artisans, drummers, and informal community groups. Stories about Mr Oyetola’s perceived lack of generosity in public engagements also continue to shape public perception.
The APC also continues to struggle with the unresolved fallout between Mr Oyetola and Mr Aregbesola. Many grassroots supporters believe reconciliation should have occurred earlier, given the enormous respect Mr Aregbesola commands among ordinary party loyalists.
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