An elder statesman and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Shuaib Oyedokun, has asserted that the state governor, Ademola Adeleke, would be defeated in next year’s gubernatorial election.

Oyedokun maintained that this was premised on the resolve of the people of the state, especially the teeming members of the APC who have been yearning for a change of administration in the state.

The nonagenarian made these statements when Dotun Babayemi, a prominent governorship aspirant of the APC in the state, who was continuing his statewide ward-to-ward tour, paid him a courtesy visit at his Inisa residence.

Babayemi had earlier called on another stalwart of the party, Akinrogun Odusola, popularly referred to as Comrade, during the visit to his Olunisa, Ward 10.

“I am convinced and optimistic that our great party, the APC, will defeat Governor Ademola Adeleke at the 2026 governorship election,” he stated.

Commending Babayemi for the mature way he has been conducting his governorship aspiration across the state, Oyedokun appealed to him not to deviate from it.

He noted that it was particularly gratifying to see all the aspirants ready to work together for the collective interest and victory of the APC in the coming elections.

“Listening to the vision each of our aspirants has for Osun State, it gladdens my heart that it is a good pointer to the victory awaiting our great party at the polls, especially with the calibre of aspirants jostling for the ticket,” he remarked.

While calling for strong unity among the aspirants and members of the party across the state, he stressed that “the party’s common goal towards ushering in good governance to the people of Osun State is very paramount.”

Earlier, the Chairman of the APC in the local government, Jimoh Aajasa, eulogised Babayemi for his scientific approach to party mobilisation and philanthropic activities, noting that his participation in the race has had a meaningful impact on the party.

According to Aajasa, who described Babayemi as the next governor, the aspirant has laid a solid foundation for how a party should be run, adding that the template of the Gbongan-born Prince is what other contenders in the state are copying.

Responding, Babayemi, whose presence had attracted hundreds of party supporters to the area, described Oyedokun as a political sage from whose wealth of wisdom and experience he had continually drawn.

He pointed out that the APC looks to the elder statesman for guidance in deepening internal democracy and ensuring the party’s victory, especially in the 2026 governorship election and the re-election of President Bola Tinubu.