Osun 2026: Defections rattle APC ranks as governorship battle

By Lukman Olabiyi

Less than three months to the 15 August 2026 governorship election in Osun State, a growing wave of resignations and defections within the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) has injected fresh uncertainty into what is already shaping up to be one of the fiercest electoral contests the state has witnessed in recent years. The battle between incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party and the APC governorship candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, popularly known as AMBO, is intensifying by the day, and the internal turbulence within the opposition camp is adding an unexpected dimension to the race.

In recent weeks, several prominent APC figures linked to former National Secretary of the party, Senator Iyiola Omisore, have exited the party, fuelling speculation that internal discontent may weaken the opposition’s electoral machinery at a critical stage of the campaign. Amongst those who have resigned are a former Commissioner for Education, Oladoyin Bamisayemi; a former Commissioner for Political Affairs, Taiwo Akeju; a former Special Adviser on Higher Education, Jamiu Olawumi; and a former lawmaker, Adeyeye Olajide. Their departure has sparked genuine concerns among party faithful over the APC’s cohesion and organisational readiness ahead of the poll.

The development has provided fresh ammunition for the ruling camp. The Imole Campaign Council described the resignations as evidence of a deepening crisis of confidence in the leadership of former governor Gboyega Oyetola and the APC governorship candidate, Oyebamiji. According to the council, the exits reflect widespread dissatisfaction amongst party members who feel sidelined and disconnected from the party’s current leadership structure. The council further argued that the pattern of departures is not coincidental but reflects a deliberate recalibration by experienced political hands who have assessed the internal situation and concluded that the APC’s current trajectory is unsustainable.

“The people have moved on, and increasingly, many members of the APC are moving on too,” the council declared, arguing that Governor Adeleke’s performance in office continues to attract support across political divides and that the defections signal a widening gap between the party’s leadership and its rank-and-file membership.

Political observers, however, caution against drawing a direct line between defections and electoral victory. Whilst defections often create negative perceptions and may affect grassroots mobilisation, history has shown that their impact depends largely on the political weight and electoral value of those departing. Many of the defectors are yet to publicly declare support for any particular political platform, making it difficult to accurately measure the electoral consequences of their exits. A defection unaccompanied by a public declaration of intent to support a rival candidate carries limited transferable electoral value.

For Governor Adeleke and the Accord Party, the resignations could strengthen the narrative that the APC is battling internal divisions. Such a perception may influence undecided voters and energise the governor’s support base. Yet analysts note that elections are rarely won solely on the basis of defections. Factors such as campaign structure, voter turnout, party organisation, candidate popularity, and prevailing public sentiment often prove far more decisive than the movement of individual political actors between parties.

The Osun State chapter of the APC has strongly rejected claims that the resignations signal an impending collapse. In a statement by its Director of Media and Information, Mogaji Kola Olabisi, the party described the development as part of normal political realignments associated with election seasons. The party insisted that those leaving constitute a small fraction of its membership and that the departures would not affect its chances at the polls. According to the APC, the exits have instead strengthened the resolve of party members and supporters to work harder for the victory of Oyebamiji.

The opposition party further maintained that its candidate remains focused on the campaign and is not distracted by what it termed piecemeal resignations designed to create a false impression of crisis. APC Osun Central Senatorial candidate, Kunle Rasheed Adegoke (SAN), popularly known as K-RAD, sought to allay fears of internal disunity, describing the disagreements within the party as minor and entirely manageable.

“In every political party, there would be disagreement. We have our own fair share of internal disputes, but it is manageable,” he said. Adegoke disclosed that party leaders were already engaging aggrieved members and expressed confidence that the APC would emerge stronger and more united before election day. He also dismissed speculation that Omisore could abandon the party, insisting that the former deputy governor remains a respected APC stakeholder whose political calculations would keep him firmly within the fold.

Beyond addressing concerns over defections, Adegoke projected strong confidence in the APC’s electoral prospects, arguing that the party possesses the structure and political strength required to reclaim power in Osun State. He pointed to agriculture as a major driver of economic growth under a prospective APC administration, promising that strategic investments in the sector would create employment, stimulate economic activity and improve living standards across the state. He argued that Osun’s vast arable land presents enormous opportunities for wealth creation if properly harnessed through deliberate government policies and private sector partnerships.

The electoral stakes in Osun are considerable. The 2022 governorship election, which produced Adeleke’s victory, was amongst the most closely contested in the state’s history, with margins that underscored how evenly matched the major political forces in Osun remain. Both camps are acutely aware that every defection, every bloc of votes, and every shift in public sentiment carries potential consequences disproportionate to its apparent size.

For Adeleke’s supporters, the defections underscore what they characterise as a declining APC struggling with internal contradictions of its own making. They argue that a party unable to manage its internal affairs cannot be trusted with the governance of a state, and that the exit of experienced hands at such a critical juncture reveals deeper structural weaknesses that no amount of public relations management can fully conceal.

For the APC, the resignations are framed as routine political movements that accompany every election cycle and carry no meaningful threat to the party’s electoral viability. They point to the enthusiasm of their candidate’s supporters, the strength of their grassroots organisation, and the argument that governance performance under Adeleke has fallen short of voter expectations as the true foundation of their electoral confidence.

What remains clear as the countdown to 15 August continues is that both camps face real tests of their organisational capacity and political discipline. Whether the APC can successfully manage internal grievances and present a sufficiently united front to mount a credible challenge, or whether the growing discontent within its ranks will translate into meaningful electoral gains for Governor Adeleke, may ultimately define the outcome of one of Osun’s most consequential governorship contests in recent memory. The defections have altered the political conversation in the state. Whether they alter the final result at the ballot box remains the question that only the voters of Osun will answer on 15 August 2026.