October 13, (THEWILL) — The All Progressives Congress (APC) has released its official schedule of activities and timetable for the 2026 governorship election in Osun State. The official release of the timetable has increased the jostling for the governorship ticket of the party among many aspirants in the state.
As of the time of going to press, 12 aspirants who are eyeing the party’s governorship ticket include a former Deputy Governor of the State, until recently the National Secretary of the party, Senator Iyiola Omisore, also a representatives of Osun East in the Senate between 2003 and 2011, the current Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority, Bola Oyebamiji; former Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Babajide Omoworare; a lawyer and son to the immediate past Olufi of Gbongan, Dotun Babayemi.
Others are the immediate past Osun Deputy Governor, Benedict Alabi; the Chairman, Mutual Assurance Benefits, Akin Ogunbiyi; and a legal practitioner, Kunle Adegoke (SAN).
Unveiling his aspiration last week, Omisore stated that he was the aspirant to beat for the party ticket and ultimately the winner of the governorship election coming up on August 8, 2026. “Going forward, I am expecting Osun State people to vote for APC en masse come August 8, 2026. This is to show the preparedness of the core APC members in the state to show how ready we are to ensure that I become the party candidate by God’s grace in December and to further strengthen the belief of the people in the coming APC government in Osun State.
“APC’s chance in 2026 is 100 per cent. There are volunteers from the nook and cranny of the state – this is just within the party and not the public, this is internal politics – preparing us for the forthcoming primaries in December,” he said in Osogbo last Tuesday.
“This is also to show the strength of the rescue mission to ensure that we get the party’s ticket by God’s grace and win the governorship election. I am optimistic, you know, if we go to the primaries today, I will win more than 90 per cent. By God’s grace, I shall emerge and deliver the APC government by next year August,” Omisore, who was flanked by notable leaders of the party, said while addressing a crowd that accompanied him to the APC State Secretariat in Osogbo.”
Reports say the jostling among aspirants for the party’s flag bearer has become so murky that the party authorities have to step in to plead for orderliness and respect for one another.
Rising from a meeting last Thursday, the Osun APC State Working Committee, issued a strong statement urging aspirants to uphold decorum and eschew attacks that will affect party cohesion and play into the hands of the governing Peoples Democratic Party, PDP..
Spokesperson, Kola Olabisi, in a statement obtained in Osogbo on Thursday, told journalists that “some supporters of governorship aspirants have been throwing caution to the wind through needlessly verbal attacks either on some of the party leaders, aspirants or supporters of other aspirants within the party.”
“To this extent, the State Working Committee of the APC has resolved to instil discipline among erring members by instantly outlawing any member of the executive officers of the party at all levels, be it state, senatorial, local government, ward and the reinstated local government council chairmen and councillors from involving themselves as the co-ordinator of any governorship aspirant,” he said.
The release of the time-table is expected to open the flood gate of aspirants who have been waiting on the wings.
According to the timetable signed by the party’s National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Muhammad Argungu, the notice of election to the state chapter will be issued on Friday, October 3, 2025. The update of the party’s membership register will commence on Monday, October 20, 2025, and close on Friday, October 31, 2025.
The sale of nomination and expression of interest forms for governorship aspirants will begin on Wednesday, November 12, 2025 and end on Monday, December 1, 2025. Screening of aspirants is scheduled for Wednesday, December 3, and Thursday, December 4, while the publication of screening results will follow on Friday, December 5, 2025.
Appeals arising from the screening exercise will take place on December 6 and 7, with the delegates’ congress scheduled for Tuesday, December 9, and any appeal from the congress to be heard on Wednesday, December 10, 2025.
The party’s primary election will hold on Saturday, December 13, 2025, followed by the appeal on Sunday, December 14, 2025. The Congress to ratify the primary election result, in accordance with the 2022 Electoral Act, will also take place on the same day.
The collection of access codes for submission of nomination forms is set for Monday, January 19, 2026, while the final list of nominated candidates will be submitted to the National Working Committee (NWC) by Thursday, January 22, 2026.
The final list of candidates is expected to be uploaded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal by Wednesday, February 11, 2026. The party will officially commence its campaign on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, with the final day of campaign and grand finale scheduled for Tuesday, August 6, 2026.
The party pegged the cost of the expression of interest form for governorship aspirants at N10 million, while the nomination form costs N40 million, bringing the total to N50 million. However, female aspirants and persons with disabilities (PWDs) are to obtain the expression of interest form free of charge, with the nomination form also free.
Youths aged 25 to 40 will pay N10 million for the expression of interest form and enjoy a 50 percent discount on the nomination form. The delegate form is priced at N5,000, and only financial members who have paid dues for at least three months before the congress are eligible to elect delegates.
The forms will be available at the Directorate of Organisation, National Headquarters, 40 Blantyre Street, Wuse II, Abuja.
For further details, the party urged members to contact the Directorate of Organisation via 0803-261-8346.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
