Former Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Bola Oyebamiji, has emerged as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2026 Osun State election, following the party’s decision to adopt a consensus option.
Oyebamiji was endorsed on Saturday at the APC governorship primary held in Osogbo after two fellow aspirants, Kunle Adegoke (SAN) and Senator Babajide Omoworare, moved a motion nominating him as the party’s consensus candidate.
The chairman of the APC governorship primary committee and Governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, put the motion to a voice vote, which was unanimously approved by party members and delegates present at the venue, Ebunoluwa Group of Schools, Osogbo.
Announcing the outcome, Okpebholo declared: “By the power conferred on me, I hereby present Bola Oyebamiji as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress.”
Earlier, Okpebholo had indicated that the primary would be conducted by affirmation. He arrived at the venue alongside the committee’s co-chairman, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State, and other committee members, including Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, who represented the Lagos State governor, and former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello.
The primary followed the emergence earlier in the week of 1,660 delegates expected to take part in the exercise ahead of the party’s December 13 governorship primary.
There were also indications that the APC leadership had agreed to back a single candidate after a late-night meeting between President Bola Tinubu and the seven governorship aspirants at the State House, Abuja, on Wednesday.
A former APC National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore, later confirmed the party’s position while speaking on TVC News programme, Politics Tonight, where he publicly endorsed the consensus arrangement for the Osun governorship contest.
Omisore, who was among the aspirants earlier disqualified by the APC Screening Committee for alleged violations of party guidelines and electoral provisions, said he accepted the decision after consultations with President Tinubu and in the interest of party unity.
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