- OneForAllMedia Political Desk
The battle for the August 15, 2026 governorship election in Osun State may already be tilting heavily in favour of Governor Ademola Adeleke as the Imole Campaign Council (TICC) has declared that the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, are facing what it described as a looming electoral humiliation.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Saturday, the council said Governor Adeleke remains the overwhelming favourite to secure a second term, citing growing public support, sustained defections from the APC, and what it called the governor's visible record of performance across the state.
The campaign council's declaration comes amid increasing political tension in Osun, where both major camps have intensified grassroots mobilization ahead of the crucial poll.
According to TICC spokesperson, Pelumi Olajengbesi, the political reality on the ground has become impossible to ignore, insisting that the APC has continued to lose both relevance and support while Governor Adeleke's popularity expands across the state.
"The election is a game of numbers, and the numbers are clearly on Adeleke's side," the council stated, arguing that the governor's administration has earned the confidence of residents through infrastructure development, social interventions, and governance focused on ordinary citizens.
The council further claimed that key APC stakeholders and members are abandoning the opposition party in significant numbers, describing the development as evidence of growing dissatisfaction within the APC's ranks.
APC Accused of Resorting to Intimidation
Beyond electoral calculations, the campaign council launched a blistering attack on the opposition, accusing the APC of attempting to substitute persuasion with intimidation and violence.
TICC alleged that rather than presenting convincing alternatives to voters, elements within the opposition have chosen what it described as a politics of threats and coercion.
The council urged the APC leadership to respect the democratic choices of Osun residents and abandon what it termed a dangerous strategy capable of undermining the state's hard-earned peace.
Political observers note that allegations of violence have become a recurring feature of the pre-election atmosphere, with rival parties trading accusations as the campaign season gathers momentum.
"Osun Has Moved On"
Perhaps the most damaging claim made by the campaign council was its assertion that Osun voters have no intention of returning power to a party they associate with past governance failures.
The council argued that residents have witnessed measurable progress under Governor Adeleke and are unwilling to reverse course.
According to the statement, the governor's administration has restored public confidence in government and created a political environment where performance, rather than propaganda, determines electoral support.
The council maintained that Governor Adeleke's achievements have become his strongest campaign tool and that no amount of political maneuvering can erase what voters have experienced under his administration.
August 15 Emerging as a Referendum
As political activities intensify, the August 15 governorship election is increasingly being framed as a referendum on Governor Adeleke's first term in office.
While the APC continues efforts to unseat the incumbent governor, TICC believes the opposition is confronting a difficult reality: a popular incumbent, an energized support base, and a growing perception that the electoral battlefield is already slipping beyond its control.
With defections reportedly mounting and campaign structures expanding across the state, the council concluded that the coming poll could produce one of the widest victory margins in Osun's recent political history.
Whether that prediction ultimately materializes remains to be seen, but one thing appears certain: the contest for Osun Government House is entering a decisive phase, and both camps understand that the political stakes have never been higher.
