Osun 2026: APC unveils timetable, sets N50m fee for nomination form

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has released its timetable and schedule of activities ahead of the 2026 Osun State governorship election.

It also fixed the cost of the expression of interest and nomination forms at N50 million.

The party’s National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu, released the timetable in Abuja on Tuesday.

Mr Argungu said the process will formally begin with a notice of election to the state chapter on Friday, 3 October.

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This will be followed by an update of the party’s membership registers across Osun between 20 and 31 October, during which only financial members with up-to-date dues will be deemed eligible to participate in the exercise.

The sale of nomination and expression of interest forms for governorship aspirants has been fixed for 12–26 November, with the deadline for submission set for 1 December.

Screening of aspirants will take place on 3–4 December, and the party’s primary election is scheduled for Saturday, 13 December.

Any appeals arising from the exercise will be heard the following day.

Campaigns for the governorship poll will officially open on 11 March 2026, while activities are expected to climax on 6 August 2026, a few weeks before the election proper.

Aspirants to purchase forms for N50m

The APC also announced that interested aspirants will pay ₦10 million for the expression of interest form and ₦40 million for the nomination form, bringing the total cost to ₦50 million.

However, women and persons with disabilities (PWDs) will only pay for the expression of interest form, as the nomination form has been waived for them.

Young aspirants between 25 and 40 will enjoy a 50% discount on the nomination form.

The 2026 Osun governorship election

Osun State, created in 1991, has experienced alternating leadership between the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in recent years.

The 2022 governorship election produced Ademola Adeleke of the PDP as governor after he defeated then-incumbent Gboyega Oyetola of the APC.

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Mr Adeleke, currently serving his first term, is expected to seek re-election in 2026, making the forthcoming contest a rematch between the PDP and APC.

The stakes are high for both parties. For the APC, reclaiming Osun would strengthen its dominance in the South-west, the political stronghold of President Bola Tinubu.

For the PDP, retaining power in Osun would not only consolidate its influence in the region but also boost its national standing ahead of the 2027 general elections.

With the release of the APC timetable and the high cost of nomination forms, the party’s internal contest is expected to be intense, as aspirants begin to test their strength and mobilise grassroots support ahead of the December 2025 primaries.