The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy and former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola has ruled himself out of contesting the 2026 governorship election in Osun State.
He, however, said the return of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to power in the state next year is not negotiable.
Oyetola, who governed the state between 2018 and 2022 and lost his re-election bid to the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Ademola Adeleke, broke the news of his non-participation in the APC governorship primaries at a meeting of party stakeholders in Osogbo on Friday.
Osun APC has accorded him the right of first refusal for the party’s ticket.
However, rejecting the offer, Oyetola urged interested aspirants to carry party leaders and members along in their consultations ahead of the primaries.
While wishing all aspirants success in their efforts, the Minister emphasised the need to prioritise party unity in order to approach the governorship election as a united front.
Already, several aspirants, including the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority, Bola Oyebamiji; the National Secretary of the APC, Ajibola Basiru; Dotun Babayemi; Akin Ogunbiyi; and Senator Babajide Omoworare, have notified the party leadership of their intention to contest the governorship primary.
He, however, said the return of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to power in the state next year is not negotiable.
Oyetola, who governed the state between 2018 and 2022 and lost his re-election bid to the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ademola Adeleke, broke the news of his non-participation in the APC governorship primaries at a meeting of party stakeholders in Osogbo on Friday.
He said the APC has enough qualified, competent and people of outstanding track records who could aspire to the office.
He said this was “a unique selling proposition to feast on, and we will continue to complement the federal government’s efforts on all fronts.”
Oyetola tasked the governorship aspirants of the APC in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Osun State to embrace peace and be each other’s keepers by avoiding a campaign of calumny, bitterness and politics of acrimony.
He said the party would not spare any legitimate effort to return to power, describing it as strong and able to unseat Governor Ademola Adeleke.
Commenting on the coalition moves by some politicians against President Bola Tinubu, Oyetola said the coalition poses no threat to APC.
“It is crystal clear that the coalition is drifting to collapse,” he said.
“This has no iota of effect on us, particularly in Osun.
“We knew this since it is the same TOP that metamorphosed to Omoluabi and later ADC.
“We are resolute to come victorious in the future elections, and this is incontestable.”
He applauded the leadership and members of the party for their continuous commitment to the growth and development of the party since 2022, assuring them of his avowed commitment to lead the party to victory come 2026.
Prominent members of the APC seeking the governorship ticket include the National Secretary of APC, Senator Ajibola Basiru; Managing Director of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Asiwaju Bola Oyebamiji; Prince Dotun Babayemi; Senator Jide Omoworare; Chairman of Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc, Dr Akin Ogunbiyi; Kunle Adegoke, SAN, and a Professor of Mathematics in the US, Rafiu Durodoye.
The Osogbo meeting was co-presided over by the APC state chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, and Chairman of the Elders’ Caucus, Chief Sola Akinwumi.
Also in attendance were APC State Secretary, Alhaji Kamorudeen Alao; Treasurer, Hon. Femi Kujembola; former Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole; Senior Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Protocol, Ambassador Issah Niniola; former Nigerian Ambassador to Mexico, Adejare Bello; member House of Reps representing Ilesa North Federal Constituency, Hon. Wole Oke; former Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Timothy Owoeye; Hon. Wale Afolabi; former Deputy Speaker, Hon. Akintunde Adegboye, and former national and state assembly lawmakers.
Governorship aspirants Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, popularly called AMBO; Babajide Omoworare; Prince Dotun Babayemi; Barrister Kunle Adegoke and Senator Mudashiru Hussein were also there as were local government chairmen and councillors, APC local government chairmen, APC state and local government EXCOs, stakeholders at wards, local government areas and state, among others.
