The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has dropped his governorship ambition ahead of the 2026 governorship election scheduled for August 7th, 2026.

Oyetola, who served as Governor between 2018 and 2022, lost his re-election bid to the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ademola Adeleke, and was later appointed as minister.

There had been speculations that Oyetola may contest for a second term bid with the National Secretary of APC, Senator Ajibola Basiru; the 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 Professor of Mathematics from the United States of America (USA), Rafiu Durodoye vying to fly the party’s ticket.

But Oyetola in a meeting at Tinubu/Shettima Campaign office, which he co-presided over with APC chair, Tajudeen Lawal, and Chairman of the Elders’ Caucus, Chief Sola Akinwumi, stated that returning APC to Osun government in 2026 is not negotiable.

While addressing leaders of the party, Oyetola said he has relinquished his gubernatorial ambition and wished the APC aspirants well in the primary contest.

According to him: “We have qualified, competent and people of outstanding track records as aspirants contesting for the governorship election and this is 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 to embrace peace and be their brother’s keepers by avoiding a campaign of calumny, bitterness and politics of acrimony.

He vowed that no legitimate efforts would be spared to return the APC to power, noting that the APC is formidable, vibrant and potent to unseat Governor Ademola Adeleke.

Commenting on the moves of the coalition against President Bola Tinubu, he said the coast is clear for the re-election of Tinubu, saying the coalition is never a threat to the reelection bid of the President come 2027.

He asserted that the coalition of the opposition parties was never a threat saying the moves were built on political conspiracy and vendetta, saying “It is crystal clear that the coalition is drifting to collapse. 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.” (The Nation)