The three leading candidates in Saturday’s Osun State governorship election on Tuesday made their final pitches to voters, with the incumbent governor and Accord candidate, Ademola Adeleke, defending his administration’s record while his All Progressives Congress counterpart, Bola Oyebamiji, and the African Democratic Congress candidate, Najeem Salaam, unveiled their plans for the state.

The APC candidate in the 2026 Osun State governorship election, Bola Oyebamiji. [Credit: Arise TV]

The candidates spoke during a town hall meeting organised by Arise Television, where they highlighted their achievements, policy priorities and strategies for addressing the state’s economic, security and development challenges if elected.

Adeleke, who is seeking a second term, pointed to his administration’s road construction, healthcare and infrastructure projects.

Oyebamiji promised to prioritise welfare, security, agriculture, education and health, while Salaam placed agriculture and community policing at the centre of his campaign agenda.

Adeleke, responding to questions from the anchors of the meeting, said his administration had constructed about 350 kilometres of roads across Osun, adding that some federal roads had also been handled by his administration despite the state government not receiving payment for the work.

“If you come to Osun, you’ll see that I’ve constructed 350km of roads that cut across the state. As for federal roads, I have handled about eight or nine of them, and I haven’t been paid.

“As I’m speaking to you, I not only build roads across Osun, I also installed solar lights on them. We did this to provide security and enhance economic development.

“As of today, we have upgraded and rehabilitated over 200 primary healthcare facilities to global standards, equipped with electricity and clean water,” he said.

The governor dismissed allegations that his administration had concentrated development in his Ede hometown, insisting that his projects had been distributed across different parts of Osun.

He said, “Reports of Edenisation in our administration are false. Yesterday, I just commissioned a flyover in Ile-Ife, and I am not from Ile-Ife.

“I have commissioned dualised roads in Ila Orangun, Iwo, Osogbo, Ilesa, etc., all built by our administration. Should I abandon Ede because it is my town?”

Speaking on his trademark dancing, which has become a recurring feature of his public appearances, Adeleke dismissed suggestions that his dancing was an indication that he was not serious about governance.

“Those who can’t dance are jealous of me. In my family, we have music in our blood. Nobody will stop me from dancing. “I dance and work. There is time to dance, and there is time to work. I will teach them how to work if they want.

“I dance because in my family, we are jolly good fellows. As I am dancing, I am working. There is time for everything; there is time to dance, and there is time to work. Dancing does not stop me from working. I have delivered across all sectors,” he said.

Oyebamiji, speaking at the meeting, said he prepared well for governance, having visited all local government areas in the state more than once to consult members of his party and other critical stakeholders on his ambition.

The immediate past Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority also promised to prioritise people’s welfare, security and agriculture.

“My journey and my destiny, which I have a pact with, took me to Osun as the incoming governor of Osun State. Governance is about people and not about segments; it’s not about an area, a city; it’s the entire people of Osun that I want to serve.

“You have seen that the welfare of our people in Osun is very paramount; security is very important; these are the things that I want to bring up, and we want to banish hunger and poverty, and I want to invest seriously in agriculture, education and health.

“Apart from that, our human asset is very important to us. We are going to look at their welfare; capital development is very important, and these are the things that I’m bringing on board,” he said.

Responding to a question on state police, Oyebamiji said, “Well, state police, I think, is a good policy. It is a welcome policy, but one thing that is important is that there is a process, and that if that process is followed, in governance, it is always about the institution. It is about process, it is about rules, it is about regulations.

“Whatever is embedded in that process, we are going to abide by it, and we are going to welcome it. Our government, our party, it is a party of people that knows what they are doing by antecedent.”

Commenting on his time as commissioner for finance during the ex-Governor Adegboyega Oyetola’s administration, the APC candidate said the state government at the time did not take a loan and left a sum of N15bn in the government coffers while leaving.

The ADC candidate, Salaam, while unveiling his plans if elected, said his administration will establish farmers’ markets and farm estates across Osun State.

FILE: Governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress in Osun State, Najeem Salaam

“My administration will establish farmers’ markets and farm estates across Osun State if elected governor.

“Agriculture remained one of the strongest sectors capable of reviving the state’s economy if given adequate government support.

“I am a farmer, and I practise farming. Farming is about timing and season. It is only farming that can revive the economy if it gets government support.

“I will provide farmers with the necessary equipment and support to increase production and ensure food availability across the state.

“I have already captured the provision of agricultural machinery in my campaign handbook, promising to provide two tractors for each local government area in the state.

“This is because the only way to push our economy up is by supporting farming. I am going to establish farmers’ markets where farmers can sell their food directly to people without intermediaries. This will boost supply and, by doing so, improve the economy,” he said.

On security, the ADC candidate said he has a strategy to tackle insecurity and prevent the spillover of criminal activities from neighbouring states into Osun.

He explained that if elected, his administration will prioritise community policing alongside the implementation of the state police structure.

“Aside from state police that is already at the stage of implementation, one of the areas my government will focus on is community policing.

“I am going to involve traditional rulers because they are the ones who know their community and people better.

“My administration will empower local hunters, vigilantes and other community-based security groups to complement the efforts of conventional security agencies.

“Baales, chiefs and other community heads would also be involved in securing their respective communities and identifying criminal elements.

“This approach would help communities fish out marauders and prevent criminals from using Osun as a safe haven. It will also help reduce the impact of insecurity spilling over from neighbouring states,” Salaam added.