OSUN APC GOVERNORSHIP ASPIRANTS AHEAD OF 2026, ●●● Between Serious Contenders ,Serial Pretenders & Search For Princes, Not Pirates.

By Dr Aliyu Ibrahim , MFR.
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This special news-feature report by Dr Aliyu Ibrahim, MFR, a political scientist and public affairs commentator, takes a look at the list of 11 governorship aspirants, jostling for the ticket of the All Progressives Congress party, ahead of the 2026 OSUN STATE GOVERNORSHIP ELECTIONS.

He says that, from amongst the 11 aspirants, they are serious contenders and serial pretenders.

Looking at how they stand in their individual RATINGS, Osun Central, Osun East and Osun West Senatorial Districts, that make up the 30 Local Government Councils of Osun State, Dr Aliyu Ibrahim, MFR, further argues that the race for who becomes, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, favours, an urban man of all seasons, Dr. Akin Akanmu Ogunbiyi, based on his grassroots acceptance, administrative capacities, competences and discipline in leadership.

He points out that as the 2026 Osun State Governorship elections approach, the political ecosystem , is set to be determined by strong issues, values and norms of individual behavioural-compliance and behaviour – discrepancies of the eleven aspirants in the APC as adjudged by electorate,who are now more than ever concerned about decent character -traits and fear of GOD, evaluating the listed candidates, considering their administrative, political leadership capabilities as well as their character traits.

He further posits that by examining these factors, the APC electoral college as well as the general Osun State electorate, can determine who are potential serious contenders from those who may be perceived as serial pretenders in the race.

● PREFACE TO
COVER

The Osun State Governorship election in 2026 is poised to be a pivotal moment in the state’s political journey, particularly as the APC positions itself against the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and other opposition coalitions. The eleven aspirants vying for the APC ticket bring a variety of experiences and backgrounds, each with their own vision for the state. This essay will evaluate these candidates based on their leadership capabilities and character traits, ultimately identifying those who may emerge as serious contenders in the upcoming election.

How They Stand Alongside Their Individual Ratings :

● Dr. Akin
Ogunbiyi
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A seasoned business executive and former gubernatorial candidate, Dr. Ogunbiyi has demonstrated strong organizational skills as well as commitment to socio-economic development of not just his home state but Nigeria, in general through his employment generations-processes. A testament to these values, are also seen in his leadership in the insurance sector, in Nigeria, which showcases his administrative competence

Dr Akin Akanmu Ogunbiyi, is the man for whom the Osun State electorate, are waiting for as their next next governorship candidate from the platform of the APC and governor-elect, come 2026 by the divine grace of GOD.

● Senator Jide
Omoworare
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Senator Jide Omoworare, studied law and possesses, extensive experience in the area of lawmaking within the National Assembly – THE SENATE.

Omoworare, has a solid understanding of governance and legislative processes.

His is seen as principled personality.

What may be in doubt in the minds of the voting electorate in Osun State, is the fact that , Senator Jide Omoworare, had not in the eyes of the people of Osun State, had not been able to demonstrate the desired effectiveness in rallying grassroots support across the Osun State .

This crucial aspect electoral preparedness is yet to be seen , making fall into the list of serial governorship electoral pretenders.

● Kunle Adegoke Esq {SAN}
A prominent senior advocate of Nigeria , with decades of post bar professional experience, Kunle Adegoke, has a reputation for integrity and legal acumen. Adegoke’s cognate legal experience and competences, have capacity to enhance the needed measure transparency and accountability, that can guarantee good governance.

As a new entrant into the domain of partisan politics, he may soon discover that, his lack of political experience , in terms of power-play, power-game and political intrigues, might hinder his ability to weather the stormy waters of political interests-aggregation, including the complexities that characterize the tough terrain of Osun State politics.

● Prince Dotun
Babayemi
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The Prince of royalty, Prince Dotun Babayemi, enjoys huge respect within his immediate native environment and by extention, the larger senatorial zone which he hails from, in Osun State.

Babayemi’s cummunal influence could be a significant asset, coupled with his philanthropic dispositions, which demonstrate a commitment to public service delivery.

In a sense , his political experiences, are limited, which may affect his administrative capabilities, in governance and service delivery, which go beyond, good-naturedness and philanthropy.

● Asiwaju Bola
Oyebamiji
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Asiwaju Bola Oyebamiji , had garnered experience in both public service private sector .

These experiences, offer him, very rich perspective to issues of governance. His previous role as a commissioner showcases his administrative skills, except that he must prove his ability to connect with the electorate on that define their basic-needs and felt-needs, besides, relating with the electorate, as and when due but had distanced himself from these same people, whose services, he currently requires. He therefore, would fall with those members of the Osun State electorate classify as serial pretenders towards the Osun State 2026 governorship polls.

● Peter Babalola
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Babalola’s background in business and community engagement indicates a strong commitment to development. Yet, his political experience is relatively sparse, potentially limiting his effectiveness in a governance role.

● Senator Mudashiru Hussein
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Senator Mudashiru Hussein, being a member of the 10th SENATE , enjoys some measure cognitive experiences, politically, besides having some regional influence as his current tenure speaks about steadfastness in the business of lawmaking.

What places him , away from the grip of the voting electorate is the perceived alignment that, he has with party politics .

This the people maintain, may alienate some voters seeking independent leadership.

● Senator Ajibola Basiru
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Senator Ajibola , is a member of the National Assembly.

As a senior lawyer, he has been able to match his legal training with Federal lawmaking, giving him a good advantage and credibility in seeking the office, he intends to serve in.

He is a good advocate for good governance .

In other words, Senator Ajibola Basiru, had always put up advocacy for good governance and transparency .

In spite of all these colourful traits, the Osun State, electorate, have a perception of him as a political figure , who is yet to show or elicit ability to engage effectively with locals and significant others, including his immediate constituents, a fact that has cast some doubt about his political leadership capacities and seriousness as a contender, pitching him amongst the serial pretenders, who grassroots acceptance is, uncertain.

● Benedict Alabi
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Benedict Alabi, is seen as grassroots mobilizer, who had over time shown stable capacity for communal leadership in his immediate environment.

He is seen by the people as one who can be reached or approached without , showing or carrying any airs, around himself.

This positive attribute, is besides, commitment to local issues, values and norms that affect his people in his immediate community.

One deficit that the Osun State electorate point to is about him, not having a wide spread political experience.

This, the people, say, is what is lacking, even as it has raised doubts , as to his capaci ty for administrative and development administration.

● Rafiu Durodoye
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Rafiu Durodoye is easily identified as an ambassador of youth and community development initiatives .

Even as Rafiu Durodoye, had shown great affinity for identifying with community development initiatives, there are some shadow of doubt as to his ability or capacity to face to the challenges of development administration as his likely effectiveness in handling higher administrative duties like the task of human resources management , is yet to be tested or verified , going the calculations of the electorate. His focus on social issues

Majority of voters in Osun State, do seem to see him as having the ability to assume the onerous task of governance, moreover when he had never demonstrated any such skills and knowledge base in administrative field .For him, the voters, see him as serial pretender towards, nursing governorship ambitions.

● Otunba Iyiola Omisore:
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Otumba Iyiola Omisore, a former Deputy Governor of Osun State, is a well known political figure in Osun State, with a relative wealth of experience, who had held different political party positions, apart from having reached the peak of his career some decades back.

In his years of struggle towards ascending to his dream political seat, which is governorship, he has either by accident or design, attracted to his political profile, some social labelling, that had at every stage of his public appearance, raised some, undefined concerns about his political behaviour, drawing mixed reaction- processes from the collegiate of electorate and determining their preferences in any contest, he shows interests.

The same voting electorate in Osun State, in a going brand of way, have been responding to the political stimuli from the stable of Otumba Iyiola Omisore’s electoral candidacy at every election time, over what they may have perceived as an integrity subject, which the electorate can explain. However, we know that these may all be within the realm of speculations. The Osun State electorate, know the reasons.

To borrow the intellectual property thoughts of one Nigeria’s leading Nixon’s in academic domain of theatre & Dramatic Arts, Sir Ben Tomoloju, the upcoming Osun State APC governorship primaries, ” promises to be vice for voice and movement for movement”.

So far the list of no fewer than eleven aspirants, is populated by personalities with distinct background , in terms of orientation, cognitive reasoning, emotional, investigative, social and native intelligence.

This is even they individually, present a cocktail of credentials , both intellectually , morally, ethically and professionally, largely defined by their respective primary and secondary socialization-processes, right from their childhood to their present adulthood, offering the electorate delegates at the primaries on one hand and the general Osun State citizenry, on the other , the delicate and unmistakable choice of picking between a pirate and a leader over them.

Luckily, the good people of Osun State, have another window of opportunity both within the All Progressives Congress fold and the larger three- pronged senatorial zones of Osun Central, Osun West & Osun East to re – write history by endorsing a man whom , they would never regret voting as the standard bearer of of APC primaries & later as the eventual governor of Osun State, come 2026.

Having known their strengths and weaknesses, the APC electoral delegates, now have the chance to decide whom to vote in as the most credible candidate between figures Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi, Senator Jide Omoworare, and Senator Mudashiru Hussein, who by all standards, can best be listed as serious contenders.

This assertion, is due to their political experience and leadership qualities.

On the other hand, the remaining aspirants, by their individual showing, strengths and weaknesses, may have presented themselves as serial pretenders, lacking the necessary experience or grassroots appeal to activate any brand of followership and electoral influence.

Narrowing the contest down, only four political personalities from the list of eleven aspirants seeking the flagbeaership of the APC, have been adjudged as serious contenders.

This is going by the statewide rating of the voting electorate.

However from amongst these four, one personality, towers tall and that is Dr Akin Akanmu Ogunbiyi, the Chief Executive Officer of Mutual Insurance Company Limited.

He is the general consensus of not only the entire members and chieftains of the All Progressives Congress party {APC}, drawn from the total number of .332 INEC listed Electoral Wards and 3, 763 total number of Polling Units, in the 30 Local Government Areas that define Osun State’s population and geographical land mass.

This assertion, which is cogent and verifiable, is governed by a credible social survey that had been conducted in Osun State as the build to the 2026 Governorship polls, draw near.

It can be said that, in a serious political exercise such as struggling to pick party ticket of the All Progressives Congress, as the standard bearer , ahead of the 2026 governorship polls, requires who ever becomes the flag-bearer, must be a well-balanced personality, with the instinctual ability to stimulate, generate and attract grassroots-appeal and must equally elicit the power to redefine the sociology of the voting behaviour of the electorate.

The ability of such a candidate to connect with the electorate as well as handle urgent matters of state, including issues, values and norms of group dynamics, policy options and General interests- aggregation, will no doubt, determine the success story of the eventual winner of the APC party primaries and lead the party to eventual victory.

Being the home state of Nigeria’s current leader, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, who also doubles as the father-figure of the All Progressives Congress, electoral delegates within the domain of the APC, have a huge and tasking duty to ensure that a serious-minded aspirant , with impeccable character-traits, with no blemish, proven track record of excellence, brilliance and competences both in the academia and corporate world of entrepreneurship, emerges as flagbeaerer for the secondary election. Such a man must above all have the fear of the Almigjty Most High GOD.

The APC, has a compelling duty to produce a credible and seasoned candidate who , would deliver make the people of Osun State, happy.

They need a candidate,.who would make them, heave a sigh of relief and look forward to a positive returns on their electoral investments, after years of political leadership experimentation, that had taken Osun State back to the back-waters.

This is even as such lack-lustre political leadership experiences, had inflicted high degrees of rural poverty and urban misery, on them, making them doubt, why from the pool or assemblage of very credible personalities, Osun State, had never gotten it right.

Luckily,, the opportunity, has beckoned, on OSUN WEST SENATORIAL DISTRICT, to govern OSUN STATE, which has neither never produced an Executive Governor nor been given the opportunity to do so.

Happily, four of the aspirants, come from OSUN WEST senatorial District.

They include Dr Akin Akanmu Ogunbiyi, Egbon Peter Babalola, Egbon Benedict Alabi and Senator Mudashiru Hussaini, a former federal law maker.

From this list of four eminent aspirants and well established gentlemen of means and allied attributes, the aspirant with most grassroots, appeal, widespread electoral acceptance as adjudged by the OSUN STATE voting-electorate, with the needed instinctual capacity as well as sagacity to enable the APC win OSUN STATE, with a landslide victory, is Dr. Akin Akanmu Ogunbiyi, the CEO of MUTUAL ASSURANCE Plc .

At least, for the sake of equity, fairness and balance in Governorship representation in Osun State, Osun West Senatorial Zone , through Dr Akin Akanmu Ogunbiyi, should be given the opportunity to produce the next Executive Civilian Governor of Osun State.

As a matter of fact and rationale reasoning, almost all the elders, eminent sons and daughters of Osun State, irrespective of their political affiliations, are in agreement that OSUN WEST SENATORIAL DISTRICT, through one of her illustrious sons, Dr Akin Akanmu Ogunbiyi, should be voted in as the next Executive Governor of Osun State.

Deciding who emerges the eventual candidate, presents a huge task before the APC electoral college.

In this instance, the electoral college, must be guided by wisdom of distinguishing between a pirate and servant leader.

The intellectual property thoughts of John Locke,{ 1632-1704} author of POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY and one the world’s most celebrated scholars of political science, best captures , what would be the central message to the Osun State APC electoral college at the forthcoming primaries when he said, ” If we are to have a ruler, we should know, who that person is, otherwise, there would be no distinction between PIRATES and PRINCES”.
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● Attribution : The writer of this news-feature piece, Dr. Aliyu Ibrahim, MFR, a political scientist , is public affairs commentator and also doubles as the National Convener, NATIONAL AGENDA FOR TINUBU 2027 { NAFT.27}