The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Osun State, Bola Oyebamiji, has expressed strong confidence ahead of the August 8, 2026 election, declaring that neither he nor his party faces any serious competition.
Oyebamiji made the remark on Sunday in Osogbo during an interactive meeting with youths of the party, organised by the office of the Osun APC Youth Leader. He described the forthcoming governorship race as a “penalty kick” already awarded in favour of the APC.
Addressing the gathering, the former Commissioner for Finance urged young party members to intensify grassroots mobilisation across the state, stressing that youths remain the backbone of the party’s electoral success.
According to him, an analysis of the 2022 governorship election showed that young voters played a decisive role, contributing about 210,000 of the more than 300,000 votes secured by the APC.
“We carefully studied the 2022 election results and discovered that youths accounted for about 210,000 votes out of the over 300,000 votes scored by the APC,” he said.
Oyebamiji praised the youth population in the state and promised that his administration would prioritise their welfare if elected.
“I have great respect for the youths of Osun State. We have a lot planned for them, and by the grace of God, well-structured programmes for young people will begin immediately after we assume office,” he added.
Speaking partly in Yoruba, the APC candidate dismissed the chances of the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke, likening the election to a penalty kick taken against a team without a goalkeeper.
“For this election, God has given us a penalty, and the other side has a goalpost without a goalkeeper. All we need to do is organise ourselves properly and work hard to claim the victory already waiting for us,” he said.
Oyebamiji further directed party youths to return to their wards and begin house-to-house campaigns, insisting that APC has no rival in the race.
“I have no competitor. APC has no competitor. Go back to your wards and start door-to-door mobilisation. We will provide the necessary resources. We are serious about this assignment,” he declared.
He also assured party members of their safety during the campaign, stressing that the election would be peaceful.
“Do not be afraid. Nobody will harm you. This election will not be like those of the past. Our government will be youth-driven, and we will ensure you get what is rightfully yours,” he said.
Earlier, the Osun APC Youth Leader, Goke Akinwemimo, called on party members, especially youths who supported different aspirants during the party’s primaries to put aside their differences and work together for victory.
“We must remain united, focused, and even more resilient than ever. This struggle is about our future, our destiny, and the prosperity of Osun State. Disagreements are part of politics, but how we manage them will determine our success,” Akinwemimo said.
Osun State is scheduled to hold its next governorship election on August 8, 2026. Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party is expected to seek re-election, while other contenders, including Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress, are also expected to join the race.
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