The contest for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket in Osun State has gathered momentum as one of the aspirants, Mr Bola Oyebamiji, recently resigned his appointment as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Inland Waterways Agency (NIWA).

Though the gubernatorial poll had been scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to hold on August 8, 2026, APC is planning to conduct a primary election on December 13, where its flagbearer will emerge.

Findings by The Guardian indicate that no fewer than 13 aspirants are jostling for the party’s ticket.

The list of aspirants includes the former deputy governor of Osun State and immediate past national secretary of the APC, Senator Iyiola Omisore; Bola Oyebamiji, popularly known as AMBO, Dr Akin Ogunbiyi, incumbent national secretary of the party, Senator Ajibola Basiru, Prince Dotun Babayemi, Kunle Adegoke, SAN, and Professor Rafiu Durotoye, Chief Peter Babalola, Harreter Babatunde Oralusi, Engineer Dideolu Falobi, Senator Mudasiru Hussein, among others.

Meanwhile, Oyebamiji, who hails from Ikire in Osun West Senatorial District, has tendered his resignation as NIWA CEO in order to be eligible to contest for the APC governorship ticket in line with the Electoral Act 2022, Section 84 (12).

His resignation was disclosed in a statement by the coordinator of AMBO Media Fronts, Adebayo Adedeji. The statement said Oyebamiji appreciated President Bola Tinubu for allowing him to serve the nation as the chief executive of the country’s waterways agency for two years. He was appointed as the substantive MD/CEO of NIWA in October 2023.

The development came just as Omisore obtained his nomination and expression of interest forms to contest for the party’s ticket at the APC national secretariat in Abuja, after paying a sum of N50 million.
However, the Osun State Elders’ Caucus (Igboho Agba) of the APC has urged governorship aspirants on the platform of the party to stay action on the purchase of their nomination forms for the 2026 election.
In a statement signed by its chairman, Engr. Sola Akinwumi, the caucus said a screening committee had been inaugurated to vet all aspirants ahead of the party primaries, advising aspirants to exercise patience until the committee submits its report.

According to the statement, “the caucus received the report of its adhoc committee on the 2026 Osun Governorship Election on the 14th of November, 2025, and resolved as follows:
“A screening committee has been set up and tasked to expeditiously screen all gubernatorial aspirants within a stipulated time frame. All aspirants are advised to wait in obtaining the prescribed forms until the screening committee submits its report.”