Osun Election: APM, PDP Candidates Withdraw, Endorse Governor Adeleke

With less than 48 hours to go before voters in Osun State head to the polls, two governorship candidates have withdrawn from Saturday’s election and thrown their weight behind the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke. The governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Adebayo Simon Adewale, announced his withdrawal from the race at a press conference in Osogbo on Thursday, August 13, 2026, directing members of his party and his supporters across the state to vote for Governor Adeleke, who is contesting on the platform of the Accord Party. Adewale said his decision followed “deep reflection and extensive consultation” with party leaders, supporters and other stakeholders, and he stressed that the move was not influenced by pressure or personal interest but by what he described as the need to place the interest of Osun State above personal ambition.

Adewale explained that after assessing the political situation in the state, he believed Governor Adeleke deserved another term to consolidate what he described as the achievements of his administration. “Having carefully assessed the situation, I believe Governor Adeleke deserves another term to consolidate the progress his administration has recorded,” Adewale said. The APM candidate subsequently declared his full support for the governor’s re-election and called on his supporters, APM members and residents of Osun State to back Adeleke at the poll. He emphasized that his decision was ultimately about the future of the state rather than his political ambition, stating, “This decision is about the future of Osun. Politics should always serve the people, and today I have chosen the path that I believe will best advance peace, stability, development and the collective interest of our state.”

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In a separate development, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Adedamola Adebayo, popularly known as Fryo, also announced his withdrawal from the election and endorsed Governor Adeleke. Adebayo made the declaration during a press briefing in Osogbo, where he explained that his decision followed extensive consultations with stakeholders and a careful assessment of the political situation in the state. He stressed that his priority was the broader interest of Osun State rather than personal political ambition. “I encourage all PDP members, supporters and structure to share this position peacefully. Support the emergence of Ademola Adeleke as the governor till 2030,” he said.

The withdrawals come just hours before the Osun State governorship election scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026. Governor Ademola Adeleke is seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord Party after leaving the PDP. The main contenders in the race include Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The APGA candidate, Adesina Adeyemi-Doro, had earlier withdrawn from the race and endorsed Oyebamiji, creating a complex web of political realignments as various candidates and parties position themselves for the contest.

The APM had earlier built its campaign around Adewale, with the party also attracting political support from sections of the PDP. The withdrawal represents a significant shift in the political landscape, as Adewale’s decision to back Adeleke effectively dissolves the APM’s challenge to the incumbent. This development comes after former Osun governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola had earlier announced his support for the APM candidate, Adewale Adebayo, ahead of the August election. Oyinlola had rejected claims of a PDP-Accord arrangement in the state and said the political structure he was working with had aligned with the APM. “This is a movement that combines APM and PDP. We form an alliance to present a formidable force for the forthcoming elections,” Oyinlola had said.

However, it is worth noting that the political landscape remains competitive. A faction of the Accord Party, led by Chris Imumolen, has reportedly withdrawn its support for Adeleke and endorsed the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji. This development highlights the internal divisions within political parties and the fluid nature of political alliances in the run-up to the election. The faction’s decision to back the APC candidate further complicates the electoral calculus and underscores the intense competition between the major political forces in the state.

The last-minute realignments, though significant politically, are not likely to affect the number of candidates on the ballot, which INEC has already designed for the election. The withdrawals and endorsements reflect the strategic calculations of political actors seeking to maximize their influence and position themselves for the post-election landscape. As voters prepare to cast their ballots on Saturday, the shifting alliances and political maneuverings underscore the high stakes involved in the Osun State governorship election.

Osun Election: APM, PDP Candidates Withdraw, Endorse Governor Adeleke

29-Year Kwankwaso Ally Who Swore on Qur’an Defects to APC

Kabiru Adamu Abdullahi, a long-time ally of Kwankwasiyya leader and Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) Vice-Presidential candidate Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing nearly three decades of “failed promises” within the opposition party.

Abdullahi, who had previously sworn on the Qur’an to affirm his loyalty to Kwankwaso after parting ways with Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, announced his resignation from the NDC in a letter addressed to the ward party chairman of Kofar Ruwa Ward in Dala Local Government Area of Kano State. In his resignation letter, Abdullahi said his decision was prompted by what he described as “failed promises” within the NDC, adding that he would now support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid under the APC. “I have been with Kwankwaso for 29 years but have only benefited from failed promises. I will go to where I will be respected more,” Abdullahi said. He thanked the NDC for the opportunity to serve but announced his immediate exit from the party.

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The defection carries particular political weight given that Abdullahi had previously taken an oath on the Qur’an to declare his loyalty to Kwankwaso, a gesture that followed his earlier split from Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf. The move signals growing discontent within the movement’s inner circle ahead of what is expected to be a highly competitive election season. Kwankwaso was ratified as the NDC’s presidential candidate on May 29, 2026, alongside Peter Obi as the party’s presidential flagbearer, having resigned from the African Democratic Congress earlier that month on May 2, 2026. Abdullahi’s departure adds to the political pressures facing the NDC as it prepares for the 2027 general elections.

The defection comes against the backdrop of deepening internal tensions within the NDC. Reports indicate that Kwankwaso has been embroiled in disputes over candidate selection in Kano State, with party officials accusing him of attempting to dominate party structures and control the nomination process. Under a power-sharing arrangement brokered when Kwankwaso joined the NDC, his Kwankwasiyya movement was allocated 60 percent of the party’s Kano structure, with the original party leadership retaining 40 percent. However, the agreement has reportedly collapsed, with allegations that all nomination forms for elective positions in Kano were taken by Kwankwaso’s loyalists, leaving long-standing party members without access. The NDC leadership in Kano subsequently replaced several Kwankwasiyya-nominated candidates, a move that was rejected by Kwankwaso, who has threatened to leave the party if the changes are allowed to stand. However, the party’s National Publicity Secretary has denied claims of a possible exit by Kwankwaso, describing them as “unfounded and politically motivated”.

29-Year Kwankwaso Ally Who Swore on Qur’an Defects to APC

Osun Governorship: Accord Party Faction Withdraws Support for Adeleke, Endorses APC’s Oyebamiji

Christopher Imumolen, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Accord Party who describes himself as a factional national chairman, has withdrawn his support for Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke and declared his backing for Bola Oyebamiji, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, just two days before Saturday’s crucial election.

Imumolen made the declaration on Thursday at the grand finale of the APC governorship campaign rally in Osogbo, the state capital. He claimed that his faction’s National Working Committee had resolved to step down support for Adeleke, who is seeking re-election on the Accord platform, and urged all Accord members in Osun State to vote for Oyebamiji, popularly known as “AMBO”. “As the national chairman of the Accord Party, with my working committee, who are all here, we have stepped down our support for Ademola Adeleke, and today we declare our support for AMBO,” Imumolen said at the rally. “Come on Saturday, all Accord members in Osun State should go to the polling units and vote for AMBO”. The endorsement came just a day after the Accord Party suspended its planned mega rally for Wednesday, August 12, citing internal crisis and inability to mobilise members across the state. Imumolen had also withdrawn from the 2027 presidential race last week and announced his support for President Bola Tinubu’s bid for re-election, saying his decision was driven by the need to prioritise national unity, stability and continued development over his personal political ambition.

However, the endorsement is complicated by an ongoing leadership dispute within the Accord Party. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officially recognises Maxwell Mgbudem as the party’s national chairman, and Mgbudem has firmly backed Adeleke’s re-election bid. The Accord Party has dismissed Imumolen’s declaration, describing him as a “political hireling and hustler” with no political structure capable of influencing the outcome of Saturday’s governorship election. In a statement, Mgbudem said Imumolen’s appearance at the APC rally in Osogbo showed he was no longer a member of Accord, adding that “there is no faction” within the party. “That Imumolen attended the APC rally in Osogbo where he backed its candidate is a glaring testament that he is not a member of Accord and does not represent the party in any capacity,” Mgbudem said. The party also rejected the description of Imumolen as a “factional chairman,” insisting that such an appellation was “not only mischievous, it is a delusion of the grandeur that exists in his fertile imagination”. “Imumolen has no electoral value to influence any election in the country,” the statement added.

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The Adeleke campaign council quickly dismissed Imumolen’s declaration, describing him as a “fake entity” and “impersonator” whose endorsement does not represent the party’s official position. In a statement, the Imole Campaign Council insisted that Mgbudem “is solidly behind Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election and continuity in Osun State”. The campaign council described the APC rally as an attempt to create a misleading impression ahead of the election, accusing the opposition of “recruiting a fake entity” to promote false narratives.

At the APC rally, the Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, Senator Hope Uzodinma, said the APC was “on the verge of victory” and urged Osun residents to join the 31 states already governed by the party. “Vote AMBO, vote prosperity, vote Osun for the state to be prosperous. We 31 state governors are in the state in solidarity and to welcome the state to the fold of the progressives,” Uzodinma said. Oyebamiji, a former Osun State Commissioner for Finance and former Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), pledged to run a people-oriented administration focused on improving residents’ welfare and delivering tangible democracy dividends. “Our government that will be elected on August 15, 2026, will be a government of the people, and we will stand on your mandate,” he said. “No dance anymore, but strict governance”. Also present at the rally, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy and APC leader in Osun State, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, urged voters to support Oyebamiji, describing him as “tested and trusted” with a track record that distinguished him from other candidates.

The Osun State governorship election is scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026, with 15 candidates now cleared by INEC to contest, following the addition of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Dr Francis Olugbenga Ajala, after a court order. Over 2.3 million registered voters are expected to participate across 3,763 polling units and 332 wards. The main battle is expected to revolve around Adeleke, Oyebamiji, and African Democratic Congress candidate Najeem Salaam, a former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly. Salaam, who holds a doctorate in political science, has also promised to deploy smart surveillance technology and establish a N1 billion women enterprise fund if elected. INEC has listed Mgbudem as the Accord Party’s recognised national chairman, lending official weight to the party’s continued support for Adeleke. The Accord Party has expressed confidence of victory, describing Osun as an “Accord stronghold” and urging INEC and security agencies to remain neutral and professional. The party further alleged that the APC, fearing electoral defeat, had resorted to what it described as violence, harassment and intimidation, as well as the use of federal institutions including the police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to suppress the Osun government and Accord members. Accord called on the international community, including the European Union, African Union, ECOWAS, the United States and the United Kingdom, to monitor the election.

Osun Governorship: Accord Party Faction Withdraws Support for Adeleke, Endorses APC’s Oyebamiji