Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, the immediate past Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), has been affirmed as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2026 Osun State election, following the party’s primary held in Osogbo on Saturday.
Oyebamiji’s emergence comes after an affirmation process involving 1,660 delegates at the governorship primary, during which other aspirants moved and seconded his nomination. Kunle Adegoke (SAN) formally nominated him, and Senator Babajide Omoworare seconded the motion before the Chairman of the primary election committee, Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State, asked for a voice vote. The delegates unanimously affirmed Oyebamiji as the party’s flag-bearer.
In his acceptance speech, Oyebamiji pledged to “put Osun back on the track of development,” signaling his intention to build on the state’s progress and mobilise support ahead of the general election. The former NIWA boss, popularly known by his political initials “AMBO,” served previously as Commissioner for Finance in Osun State, a background that he says equips him to manage the state’s fiscal and developmental priorities.
The party’s primary committee chairman, Governor Okpebholo, described the unity displayed at the event as a strong indicator of victory for the APC in the 2026 poll, emphasising the importance of cohesion in the party’s efforts to reclaim the governorship seat from the incumbent.
Several party heavyweights and regional leaders attended the primary, demonstrating significant political interest in the outcome. Among them were the Governors of Ondo and Nassarawa states and the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, underscoring national support for the APC’s process in Osun.
Oyebamiji’s emergence follows a contentious screening exercise earlier in this month, when several high-profile aspirants, including former Deputy Governor Benedict Olugboyega Alabi, former Senator Babajide Omoworare, and ex-National Secretary of the APC Senator Iyiola Omisore, were disqualified by the APC’s screening committee for failing to meet required nomination criteria. Those aspirants later pledged support for the party’s eventual consensus choice, citing a reconciliation meeting convened by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the primary.
Speaking after the primary, Omisore, who was among those barred from contesting, said he accepted Oyebamiji’s candidacy, stressing that the party must follow the direction set by its leadership. He added that he intends to brief his supporters on the outcome and remains committed to party unity going into the election.
The 2026 Osun governorship election is scheduled for August 8, 2026, and both major political parties are intensifying their campaigns. Oyebamiji now faces the task of consolidating support within the APC and across the state to challenge the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other contenders in one of Nigeria’s most closely watched governorship races.
