Osun 2026: APGA Candidate Quits Race, Endorses APC’s Oyebamiji

Adesina Adeyemi-Doro, Osun APGA governorship candidate. Credit: Punch

The candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the Osun State governorship election, Mr Adesina Adeyemi-Doro, has withdrawn from the race and endorsed the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Oyebamiji.
The development comes barely a week before the Osun State governorship election, scheduled to hold on Saturday, August 15, 2026.
Adeyemi-Doro announced his withdrawal and endorsement on Saturday at a programme tagged, ‘Osun Youth Interactive Session with Oyebamiji’, organised by the APC Campaign Council in Osogbo.
According to the APGA candidate, his decision followed consultations with the leadership and members of his party across the state.
Adeyemi-Doro said the consultations resulted in an agreement to support Oyebamiji’s candidacy, describing the decision as an alignment among political forces that identify with the progressive bloc.
“I am here today to declare publicly to the good people of Osun State our allegiance, support and collaboration as we join His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Oyebamiji, and the All Progressives Congress, APC.
“I have been watching the candidates closely, and after wide consultations with my state chairman, secretary and other senior members of the party, we have reached an alignment. At the end of the day, we are all progressives,” Adeyemi-Doro said.
He said the alliance was aimed at strengthening Oyebamiji’s bid to become the next governor of the state.
“We look forward to a situation where, by the special grace of God, we will deliver Osun State to our governor, Oyebamiji,” he said.
The endorsement gives the APC candidate the backing of another governorship candidate and introduces an additional political alignment into the final days of a closely watched election in which the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke, is also seeking another term.
However, Adeyemi-Doro’s withdrawal is unlikely, in itself, to alter the names that will appear on the ballot on election day.
The statutory window for the withdrawal of nominations has closed, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would, by this stage of the electoral timetable, be expected to have finalised the ballot papers containing the names of duly nominated candidates.
Consequently, while Adeyemi-Doro may have publicly withdrawn from the contest, his name could still appear on the ballot paper, meaning that his decision should be distinguished from a formal removal of his candidacy from the electoral process.
Politically, however, the timing of the withdrawal is significant. It comes as political parties enter the final stretch of their campaigns and as 14 candidates cleared by INEC remain in contention for the governorship.
Although the withdrawal does not automatically transfer APGA supporters or votes to the APC, the endorsement provides Oyebamiji with an additional political platform and could strengthen his efforts to broaden his coalition beyond the APC.
It also gives the APC candidate an opportunity to project his campaign as one capable of attracting support from political actors outside the party, particularly in the final days before the poll.
The APGA candidate stressed that his decision was the product of internal consultations rather than a unilateral move.
Responding to the endorsement, Oyebamiji welcomed the development and said his campaign would continue to engage candidates, political parties and groups outside the APC in an effort to build a broader electoral coalition.
“Thank you so much. I appreciate this, and I want to assure you that we will work together to rescue Osun State from the current bad government,” he said.
Oyebamiji added that his campaign would approach other political parties as part of efforts to consolidate support ahead of the election.
“I am glad about this development, and we will also reach out to other parties so that we can join hands together to build a greater Osun State,” he said.
The endorsement took place during the ‘Osun Youth Interactive Session with Oyebamiji’, organised by the APC Campaign Council’s Directorate of Youth, Students and Civil Society.
The engagement was designed to provide young people with an opportunity to question Oyebamiji on his proposed policies and programmes in areas including education, employment, entrepreneurship and community development.
The chairman of the directorate, Ayodele Asalu, said the initiative was intended to give voters, including those who do not belong to the APC, an opportunity to scrutinise the candidate’s proposals before making their choices.
“They want to know what your administration proposes to do about education and employment,”
“They want to understand the opportunities that will exist for entrepreneurs, artisans and professionals. They want to know how communities will benefit from development and how young people will participate in making the decisions that affect them,” he added.
Asalu urged participants to assess the governorship candidates on the basis of their policies, programmes and capacity to govern rather than their political affiliations.
With the election only days away, Adeyemi-Doro’s endorsement adds another layer to the coalition-building efforts surrounding the APC campaign. Its ultimate electoral value, however, will depend on whether the APGA candidate’s decision translates into support from party members and voters at the polls, since political endorsements do not automatically determine how individual voters cast their ballots.