The struggle for the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun ahead of Saturday’s primary election took a new dimension on Wednesday, when seven aspirants on the platform of the party stepped down for Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, who is the immediate past Managing Director of National Inland Waterways Agency (NIWA).

The development followed a closed-door meeting the aspirants held with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

In his remarks, President Tinubu commended the aspirants for their longstanding contributions to the growth of the APC in Osun but urged them to set aside personal ambitions in favour of party stability and electoral victory.

He warned against factional rivalry and prolonged litigation that weakened the party’s base in the last election cycle.

“You all have a duty and obligation to the party by ensuring the APC wins the next election in Osun State. You must strengthen the bonds of unity, uphold party supremacy and embrace collective responsibility. I have absolute confidence in your ability to deliver victory. You have my support and that of the national leadership,” the President said.

It is recalled that the APC had previously fixed December 13 for the primary election, during which its candidate will be selected as part of the process leading to the August 8, 2026, gubernatorial poll in Osun State.

However, findings by The Guardian indicate the immediate past national secretary of the APC, Senator Iyiola Omisore, who is also an aspirant vying for the party’s ticket, was not part of the meeting with Tinubu.

A credible source informed our correspondent that the governorship hopefuls, after a parley with the President, announced their withdrawal from the race and resolved to back Oyebamiji as the party’s consensus candidate for the 2026 governorship election.

The list of aspirants includes a former deputy governor of the state, Benedict Olugboyega Alabi; Dotun Babayemi; Dr Akin Ogunbiyi; Senator Babajide Omoworare; Kunle Adegoke (SAN); Babatunde Hareter Oralusi; and Mulikat Abiola Jimoh.

It should be recalled that the APC Screening Committee, headed by Obinna Uzor, last week disqualified seven out of nine aspirants, excluding Oyebamiji and Mulikat Abiola Jimoh, from participating in the primary exercise.

The disqualification was due to their failure to comply with the requirement of nomination by at least five fully registered and financially committed members from each of the 30 local government councils in the state.

Reacting to the incident while addressing journalists in Abuja, Omisore described their disqualification as a big joke, accusing the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, of allegedly influencing the Screening Committee’s report. (The Guardian)