By Thomas Abidoye
Osun – The All Progressives Congress (APC) has replaced its deputy governorship candidate for the August 15, 2026 governorship election in Osun State.
The development became noticeable after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released the final list of candidates for the poll, where the name of Adereti Benjamin Kayode appeared as the running mate to the party’s governorship candidate, Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji.
The updated list indicated that Kayode replaced former lawmaker Tunde Lekan Olatunji, whose name had earlier been submitted by the party as deputy governorship candidate.
Benjamin Adereti was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 House of Representatives election for the Ife Federal Constituency.
During the poll, Adereti was defeated by Bimbo Ajilesoro of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who emerged victorious in the contest.
The list shows that former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Najeem Salaam, who is contesting the election under the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), selected Yemisi Agiri as his running mate.
The incumbent governor of the state, Ademola Adeleke, will go into the election with his current deputy, Kola Adewusi, as his running mate on the platform of the Accord Party.
INEC’s list also indicates that Adeyera Oluwabusola Adesola, aged 36, will serve as the deputy governorship candidate to Adeleke Adewale Taofeek, the 52-year-old governorship candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
Similarly, the candidate of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Adesuyi Olufemi, 50, picked Abdulsalam Olamide, 35, as his running mate. In the African Action Congress (AAC), 39-year-old Esan Olamide will contest alongside Bello Muideen Yekeen, 51, who was listed as the party’s deputy governorship candidate.
INEC disclosed these details in a document forwarding the final list of candidates for the Osun governorship election.
The document, signed by the Commission’s Secretary, Dr. Rose Oriaran-Anthony, and dated March 4, 2026, confirmed the nominees of the 14 political parties cleared to participate in the election.
According to the commission, the approved timetable and schedule of activities for the Osun governorship election fixed March 9, 2026 as the deadline for the publication of the final list of nominated candidates.
The commission also stated that the list was forwarded for publication in compliance with Section 32(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026.
Background
Earlier in February, the electoral commission published the particulars of candidates nominated by political parties for the Osun governorship election.
The list initially showed that the APC governorship candidate, Oyebamiji, had chosen Olatunji as his running mate for the poll.
Olatunji previously represented Ife North State Constituency in the Osun State House of Assembly between 2019 and 2023 and served as the Chief Whip during his tenure in the legislature.
However, the appearance of Kayode’s name on the final list released by INEC indicates that the party has effected a substitution of its deputy governorship candidate ahead of the election.
More details later