Osun State governorship election 2026 – Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, has thrown his support behind the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
Ajayi said Oyebamiji demonstrated stronger knowledge of public finance, policy formulation and government management during the Arise TV governorship candidates’ town hall meeting.
The presidential aide made his position known in a series of posts shared on his X account on Wednesday while reviewing the performances of the leading candidates in the Osun governorship race.
The 2026 Osun governorship election has three prominent contenders: APC’s Bola Oyebamiji, African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate Najeem Salam and incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord Party.
According to Ajayi, the election should be treated as a contest to determine who can effectively manage the affairs and resources of Osun State rather than a popularity contest.
He argued that the state requires a governor with the ability to make sound financial decisions, manage scarce resources and implement policies that can improve the economic and social conditions of residents.
Ajayi said Oyebamiji made the strongest case for possessing those qualities during the town hall.
“The state is not recruiting an entertainer, a professional campaigner or a permanent opposition politician. It is recruiting a chief executive to manage a financially constrained public enterprise called Osun State.”
Ajayi rates Oyebamiji ahead of Adeleke, Salam
In assessing the candidates, Ajayi said he considered their ability to articulate policies, demonstrate knowledge of relevant facts, explain how their programmes would be funded and show evidence of managerial competence.
He subsequently placed Oyebamiji ahead of the other contenders.
Ajayi said the APC candidate appeared to understand governance as a management responsibility rather than simply a platform for political activities.
“If the exercise is judged strictly on policy articulation, command of facts, fiscal realism and evidence of managerial competence, I will candidly say Oyebamiji came out ahead,” he stated.
He also highlighted Oyebamiji’s background in banking and his previous experience as Commissioner for Finance in Osun State.
Oyebamiji served as Commissioner for Finance during the administrations of former governors Rauf Aregbesola and Gboyega Oyetola.
Ajayi argued that the experience was particularly relevant because of Osun State’s financial challenges and the need for an administration capable of balancing development demands with available resources.
He said candidates seeking to introduce extensive programmes must also explain how such policies would be financed.
“In a state with a history of fiscal constraints, promising everything without convincingly explaining the financing is not social policy, but fiscal romanticism,” Ajayi said.
Oyebamiji’s finance experience highlighted
The presidential aide also referred to Oyebamiji’s presentation on his previous role at Osun State Investment Holdings.
According to Ajayi, the APC candidate discussed efforts undertaken during his tenure to reposition the organisation and expand its asset base, including real estate investments in Lagos and Abuja.
Ajayi further referenced Oyebamiji’s account of the Oyetola administration’s financial management.
The APC candidate had claimed that the administration met its financial obligations without taking fresh loans and left approximately N16 billion in the state treasury for the succeeding administration.
Ajayi said such experience should be considered when voters assess the candidates seeking to become the next chief executive of Osun State.
He maintained that the governorship election should be viewed as an opportunity for voters to compare the candidates’ records, qualifications, policies and management abilities.
Ajayi criticises Adeleke’s town hall performance
While praising Oyebamiji, Ajayi criticised Governor Ademola Adeleke’s performance during the town hall.
He described Adeleke’s presentation as “forceful and combative” but argued that the governor devoted too much attention to criticising former governors Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Gboyega Oyetola.
According to Ajayi, an incumbent governor seeking another term should place greater emphasis on his administration’s achievements and explain why voters should give him another four years.
He said political attacks against previous administrations should not replace an account of the incumbent government’s performance.
“Political attacks may excite loyalists, but they are not substitutes for a convincing account of stewardship,” Ajayi said.
He added that Adeleke’s re-election campaign should be centred primarily on the achievements of his administration rather than the perceived failures of previous governments.
Tinubu’s aide questions Salam’s funding plans
Ajayi also assessed the performance of ADC candidate Najeem Salam, describing his proposals as among the most ambitious presented during the town hall.
However, he questioned whether Salam had provided adequate details about how his proposed programmes would be financed.
According to Ajayi, promises involving free services and increased government intervention may appeal to voters but could create financial pressure if the state does not have sufficient resources to sustain them.
“Najeem Salam was perhaps the most ambitious in his promises, but that was also his problem,” he said.
Ajayi argued that the central issue was not simply whether candidates could present attractive programmes but whether they could demonstrate how those programmes would be funded and implemented.
He further warned that poorly funded programmes and unsustainable projects could worsen the state’s financial position.
Osun governorship election 2026
The comments come as political activities intensify across Osun State ahead of the August 15, 2026 governorship election.
The contest has attracted significant attention as Governor Adeleke seeks another term while Oyebamiji and Salam campaign to take over the leadership of the state.
Key issues expected to influence voters include economic development, employment, infrastructure, education, healthcare, social welfare, public finance and accountability.
Ajayi’s endorsement gives Oyebamiji another high-profile expression of support from within the Tinubu administration, although the final decision rests with voters in Osun State.
As campaigns enter their final phase, the three leading candidates will be expected to intensify their engagement with voters and make their final arguments on why they should be entrusted with the leadership of Osun.
The August 15 election will ultimately determine whether Osun voters retain the incumbent administration or choose a new political direction under either the APC or ADC candidate.
