The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy and former Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, has announced that he will not contest the 2026 governorship election in the state.
Oyetola made the disclosure while addressing stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, where he also emphasized the importance of unity within the party ahead of the upcoming election.
The minister stated that while the party reserves the right of first refusal for its ticket, all aspirants must carry party leaders and members along in their consultations in the lead-up to the primaries.
“I will not be contesting the 2026 governorship election,” Oyetola said, while urging aspirants to prioritize internal cohesion and transparent engagement with party structures.
He wished all aspirants success in their political efforts and stressed the need for a united front to ensure the party’s strength going into the 2026 race.
Oyetola governed Osun State from 2018 to 2022 before losing his re-election bid to the incumbent governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke.
Already, several aspirants have declared interest in the APC governorship ticket, including the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority, Bola Oyebamiji; the National Secretary of the APC, Senator Ajibola Basiru; Dotun Babayemi; Akin Ogunbiyi; and former lawmaker, Senator Babajide Omoworare.
As the race heats up, party stakeholders are expected to focus on consensus-building to avoid internal divisions that could weaken the APC’s chances in 2026.
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