The Deputy Question: How APC’s Choice Will Shape Osun’s 2026 Contest -By Kolapo Tokode

As the All Progressives Congress (APC) prepares for the 2026 Osun State governorship election, the choice of a deputy governorship candidate has become a subject of intense internal debate. In Osun politics, the deputy governorship position is not ceremonial; it is strategic. It must address zoning and geopolitical balance, deliver votes, manage factional sensitivities, complement the governorship candidate’s profile, withstand public and legal scrutiny, inspire confidence in governance, appeal symbolically to key demographics, and ultimately mitigate electoral risks. He or she should be a personality who can act perfectly in the absence of the governor.

For Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO), the APC governorship candidate, the decision is even more critical. Oyebamiji’s strength lies in technocratic competence, fiscal discipline and calm leadership. His running mate must therefore bring political energy, electoral reach and symbolic balance to the ticket.

Within party circles, several names have been mentioned across Osun Central and Osun East Senatorial Districts, given that Oyebamiji is from Ikire, Irewole Local Government in Osun West Senatorial District.

Osun Central Senatorial District

Engr Olalekan Badmus (Osogbo)

Engr Olalekan Badmus is the Asiwaju Musulumi of Osogboland and the son of the renowned industrialist, philanthropist and Muslim leader, Alhaji Tunde Badmus (TUNS). He served as Commissioner for Special Duties and Regional Integration during the administration of former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and currently serves as an Executive Director at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
From Osogbo, a major APC stronghold with significant voting strength, Badmus is widely admired for his philanthropy across age groups. He is also the Global President of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Alumni Association and is regarded as a strong grassroots mobiliser.

Hon. Kayode Oduoye

Hon. Kayode Oduoye studied law in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and holds an LL.M degree from Buckingham University, United Kingdom. A Christian, lawyer and businessman with verse interest in oil and gas and telecommunication, he is the son of the late Senator Simeon Olasunkanmi Oduoye, a former military administrator of Ebonyi and Niger States, who represented Osun Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly from 2007-2011. He hails from Ikirun, a politically fertile area from which the APC can harvest substantial votes if the right political strategy is deployed.

Oduoye, popularly called ( Superkay), was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the House of Representatives seat for Boripe/Ifelodun/Odo-Otin Federal Constituency. After the 2015 elections, he was widely reported to have played a major role in financially sustaining the Osun PDP until 2017, when the Adeleke family joined the party. He was positioned as a leading contender for the PDP governorship ticket in 2018, a path that was altered by the entry of Ademola Adeleke into the party. He is also believed to have been part of the political structures responsible for the strong showing of Governor Adeleke in both the 2018 and 2022 elections.

Oduoye reportedly left the PDP due to dissatisfaction over what he and his supporters perceived as inadequate compensation and recognition within the party. He defected to the APC in 2024 and, since then, is said to have been actively mobilising support for the party across various blocs.
His inclusion on the ballot alongside Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji would serve as strategic compensation for the PDP bloc that joined the APC. As a Christian, Oduoye is also touted to wield enormous influence within the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), a constituency believed to be rooting for a Christian governor in Osun State.
Oduoye is further said to have played key roles in brokering engagements with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) for Governor Adeleke during the 2018 and 2022 election cycles. His wife, Mosun Filani-Oduoye, a popular actress and filmmaker, could also play a significant role in the campaign if her husband emerges as part of the APC ticket.
It is widely believed that Governor Adeleke is leveraging the popularity of his nephew, the ace singer Davido, and that the APC currently lacks an equivalent influencer of similar reach. Mosun Filani-Oduoye is therefore seen as a close equivalent whose popularity could add considerable value to the APC’s 2026 campaign.
Hon. Oduoye is also described as financially buoyant, with the capacity to muster a substantial war chest to support the APC campaign. His inclusion on the ticket is believed to have the potential to influence traditional PDP politicians who are reluctant to defect with Governor Adeleke to the Accord Party, encouraging them to align with the APC in the 2026 election.

Dr Mulikat Abiola (Ikirun)

Dr. Mulikat Abiola is a former member of the Osun State House of Assembly and a former university lecturer. A Muslim, she was one of the aspirants in the last APC governorship primary. She is from Ikirun and is well regarded within the town.
Before the recent primaries, her influence was largely local, but her participation in the governorship race significantly boosted her visibility across the state. Many believe her inclusion as deputy governorship candidate would add value to the Oyebamiji ticket through gender balance and enhanced appeal among women voters. She is also said to enjoy the support of former House of Assembly members, many of whom are strong promoters of the AMBO project.

Comrade Kehinde Ayantunji (Iree)

Comrade Kehinde Ayantunji is a university lecturer and former Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Osun State. He served as Senior Special Assistant on Students’ Mobilisation and Community Development to former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola. He hails from Iree in Boripe Local Government Area.
Young, versatile and politically savvy, Ayantunji is viewed as a symbol of honesty and youth inclusion. His choice is considered by some as the signal APC needs in 2026 to demonstrate sensitivity to youth demographics. Popularly known as “Asalatu”, he is the son of a late community leader and grassroots mobiliser in Iree. He enjoys strong support among journalists and media practitioners, who often play a critical role in shaping public opinion, as well as among students, given his background as a former student leader.

Osun East Senatorial District

Hon. Rotimi Makinde (Ife)

Hon. Rotimi Makinde hails from Ile-Ife. A former accountant with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), he later ventured into filmmaking and hospitality and is the owner of Odua FM in Ile-Ife. He previously served as a member of the House of Representatives and currently chairs the governing council of a federal polytechnic.
Despite these credentials, Makinde is widely perceived to have lost significant street credibility and popularity since his electoral defeat to Hon. Albert Adeogun in 2015, an election cycle when most APC candidates emerged victorious across the state. Many Ife residents believe he no longer possesses the political influence required to deliver votes from the area, particularly with the presence of a strong Ife indigene deputy governorship candidate likely to emerge on the Ademola Adeleke–Accord platform in 2026.

Additionally, Makinde shares the same religious background as Oyebamiji, offering limited advantage in faith balancing. Given APC’s need for a politically strong and electorally viable running mate, questions persist about his current vote-pulling capacity and grassroots mobilisation strength.

Benjamin Kayode Adereti (Ife)

Benjamin Kayode Adereti is a Christian and an engineer by profession. He contested the House of Representatives election in 2023 and lost narrowly to the incumbent legislator representing Ife Federal Constituency, Taofeek Ajilesoro.

Beyond this contest, little is known about Adereti politically. With Ajilesoro reportedly set to receive the APC House of Representatives ticket for a third term as compensation for his recent defection to the party, Adereti’s political pathway appears limited to positioning for the deputy governorship slot. However, his major drawback is his limited recognition beyond his Ife base. As a result, concerns remain that he may not bring substantial electoral value outside his immediate constituency.

Hon. Nike Omoworare (Ife)

Hon. Nike Omoworare is a prominent female politician and the first female Deputy Speaker of a State House of Assembly in Nigeria. She is a grassroots mobiliser and a respected advocate for women in politics. She previously served as Senior Legislative Assistant to former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yusuff Lasun. She is also the elder sister of Senator Jide Omoworare and a Christian.
Currently, she is a presidential appointee serving as a board member of the South West Development Commission. She is also the granddaughter of the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Adesoji Aderemi. Her gender offers an advantage in terms of symbolic and demographic balance for the APC ticket.
However, she is believed to lack the financial muscle required to play a major role in a statewide election. Despite her royal lineage, she is also not perceived to wield significant influence within the Ooni of Ife’s palace, which dictates and determines Ife votes. Furthermore, her strong alignment with the Oyebamiji camp, where she is seen as a leading campaigner for his emergence as APC governorship candidate, has raised concerns that her selection may not adequately accommodate other blocs within the party. Many believe the deputy slot should be used to compensate either disqualified aspirants or PDP blocs that recently joined the APC.

Notably, her last appearance on the ballot was in 1992, when she contested for a seat in the Osun State House of Assembly representing Ife Central.

Senator Jide Omoworare (Ife)

Senator Jide Omoworare, a grandson of the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Adesoji Aderemi, is a seasoned politician with considerable experience. A Christian, he previously served as Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly. He defeated Otunba Iyiola Omisore in the 2011 Senate election and Senator Francis Fadahunsi in 2015. He also served as Senior Special Assistant on Legislative Matters to former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Although a tested politician with statewide name recognition, Omoworare appears to have fallen out of favour with many APC members in the Ife/Ijesa axis. Critics accuse him of failing to adequately care for the welfare of his supporters during his time as senator, alleging that loyalists were not sufficiently rewarded through appointments, employment or empowerment.

He was also among the disqualified aspirants in the last APC governorship primary and is believed to be eyeing the Osun East senatorial ticket, which some argue he may prefer over a deputy governorship position. Despite these concerns, he remains a popular and recognizable political figure in Ife and across Osun State.

Hon. Oluwole Oke (Esa-Oke, Ijesaland)

Hon. Oluwole Oke is a seasoned legislator from Esa-Oke in Obokun Local Government Area. Until recently, he was a PDP member and currently represents Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, where he is serving his sixth term.

A Christian, Oke offers religious balance to Oyebamiji’s candidacy. He is widely regarded as financially buoyant and politically influential, particularly across Ijesaland and his federal constituency. His emergence as deputy governorship candidate could serve as strategic compensation for the PDP bloc that recently defected to the APC.