By Bolanle Adelaoye
The political ground in Osun State is shifting, and the signs are hard to ignore. When Governor Ademola Adeleke left the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to join the Accord Party late last year, it wasn’t just a simple move from one party to another, it was a clear signal that the old ways of doing things are breaking down.
As we head towards the August 2026 election, our state is at a crossroads. On one side, we have a governor who seems to be hiding behind a “Shadow Accord” of secret deals; on the other, we have a man of the All Progressives Congress (APC) bent, who brings a real plan to the table: Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji.
In politics, a governor usually gets his strength from a solid party that keeps him in check. By jumping from a major party like the PDP to the Accord Party just to save his seat, Adeleke has no doubt traded institutional stability for a tactical shelter. This “Accord of Shadows” is built on secrecy and personal survival rather than a real vision for the people. When a leader thinks he is bigger than the system, the work of government starts to suffer. Things become messy and reactive, done only to win the next election instead of building a better future for our children.
For a long time, Adeleke has relied on being the “dancing governor.” He uses his personality and loud rallies to keep people cheering. But as we see in towns like Osogbo, Ilesa and Ile-Ife, the cheering is stopping. People are worried about their pockets and their future. You cannot run a state on dance steps forever. Eventually, you have to face the hard facts of life: poor managerial skills in the midst of a struggling economy.
Now, look at Oyebamiji, popularly known as AMBO. His rise in the APC shows that people are finally asking for competence. In hard times, we don’t need a performer; we need a technician – someone who knows how the machine works. Oyebamiji isn’t coming to the stage to dance; he’s coming with a blueprint. His record as a banker and his time as Commissioner for Finance show he understands how to manage our state’s money. He has actually built progress, turning around old state businesses like OSICOL and making them profitable again. His later work at the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) further proved he can handle big projects with precision.
However, the path for Oyebamiji and the APC is not without its hurdles. The incumbent government has already begun a campaign of character assassination, digging into his past roles to paint him as part of the problems he now seeks to fix. For AMBO to overcome this, he must stay focused on his message of “rational-legal authority.” He should not get dragged into the mud of personal insults but instead keep showing the people his mathematical plans for debt reduction and wealth creation.
Another major challenge is the internal unity of the APC itself. To win, Oyebamiji must ensure that every member of the APC feels he or she has a stake in the coming government. We have seen early signs of this through his reconciliation meetings with youth leaders and former lawmakers. This spirit of inclusion is exactly what is missing from the “Shadow Accord” of the current governor. By building a united front, the APC can present a solid alternative to a fragmented government that is only holding on by a thread.
Osun stands in contrast to the national situation, where there is a general perception that the incumbent, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is coasting home to victory because the opposition has no noticeable programme to whip up any form of enthusiasm. Since there appears to be light at the end of the tunnel, it will require a candidate of exceptional clarity to change the current trajectory.
This 2026 election is a simple choice between stewardship and showmanship. A steward takes care of what belongs to the people, while a showman only cares about how he looks. The electorate is no longer under the impression that theatrics can replace structured governance; they know that the absence of a functional framework is why youth employment remains a crisis. Adeleke is a performer from a time that is passing away. Oyebamiji is the planner we need for the future. It is time to trade the noise for results and support the man with the plan: Asiwaju Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO).
●Adelaoye wrote from Okuku, Osun State.
