The Chairman of the 2026 Osun State Governorship Primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, has reaffirmed that the party’s flag bearer for the forthcoming election will emerge through affirmation, following a consensus agreement reached by stakeholders.
The APC governorship primary is scheduled to hold on Saturday, December 13, in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.
Okpebholo, who addressed Osun APC leaders and stakeholders on Friday during a pre-primary meeting in Osogbo, said the party had adopted the affirmation model to consolidate unity, ensure internal harmony, and avoid disputes that typically trail competitive primaries. He appealed for the cooperation of all party members to ensure a smooth and rancour-free exercise.
The meeting was attended by top party figures, including one of the disqualified aspirants and former Deputy Governor of the state, Benedict Alabi; immediate past Speaker of the Osun House of Assembly, Timothy Owoeye; Osun APC Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal; and the leading governorship aspirant, Bola Oyebamiji, among others.
Two aspirants—Oyebamiji, the immediate past Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority, and Mulikat Abiola, a former member of the Osun State House of Assembly—were cleared to participate in the primary.
Seven others, including former Deputy Governors Iyiola Omisore and Benedict Alabi, were disqualified at the party’s national headquarters during screening.
“Affirmation Reflects Our Collective Resolve” — Okpebholo
Explaining the modalities for the exercise, Okpebholo emphasized that the affirmation approach was the party’s chosen pathway toward consolidating unity and reclaiming Osun State into the “progressive fold.”
“This gathering speaks to our collective resolve, not only to strengthen internal democracy but to reclaim Osun State into the progressive fold and restore purposeful leadership to our state,” he said.
He disclosed that the primary election committee had fully arrived in Osun and laid out the process that delegates and stakeholders must follow.
“Transparency is key, and we want every stakeholder to understand the process publicly. As you are already aware, the mode of the primary will be consensus. All 166 accredited delegates will converge at the designated venue to affirm the choice of our party’s candidate for the next gubernatorial election.”
He stressed strict adherence to accreditation procedures, noting that:
“No delegate will be allowed into the venue without proper accreditation. This is to ensure fairness and accountability throughout the process.”
Okpebholo urged all stakeholders—leaders, aspirants, delegates, and party members—to support the committee and cooperate with the officials overseeing the primary.
Ayedatiwa Urges Unity
Earlier, the Co-chairman of the primary committee and Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Ayedatiwa, appealed to party members to set aside internal differences and work harmoniously for the success of the primary.
He noted that unity at this stage was critical for the APC to present a credible and united front ahead of the 2026 governorship election.
1,660 Delegates Elected in Ward Congresses
The affirmation will follow the earlier selection of delegates during peaceful ward congresses held across the state on Tuesday.
In an exercise supervised by the Chairman of the 2025 Osun APC Gubernatorial Congress Delegate Committee, Shehu Dange, a total of 1,660 delegates—five from each of the state’s 332 wards—were elected.
Announcing the results at the APC state secretariat in Osogbo, Dange commended members for conducting themselves peacefully and demonstrating commitment to internal democracy.
“I am happy to announce that at the end of the collation of the ward congress, a total of 1,660 delegates were elected,” he said.
A Defining Moment for Osun APC
Political observers note that the APC’s decision to adopt affirmation underscores the party’s desire to avoid internal fractures and rally early behind a unifying candidate. While some argue that affirmation may limit competition, party insiders believe it will help the APC build cohesion and sharpen its strategy ahead of the 2026 governorship contest.
The outcome of Saturday’s exercise will not only determine the party’s candidate but also signal how united and prepared the APC is as it seeks to retake the mantle of leadership in Osun State.