Dele Momodu: The Real Fight in Osun Is Adeleke Versus Tinubu, Not the APC

The upcoming governorship race in Osun State is shaping up to be far more than a typical party showdown, according to Dele Momodu, a prominent figure in the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Speaking on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ on Wednesday, Momodu delivered a blunt assessment: the August 15, 2026 election is not a battle between Governor Ademola Adeleke and the All Progressives Congress (APC). Instead, he insists, it is a direct clash between the sitting governor and the immense political machinery of President Bola Tinubu.

Momodu did not mince words, arguing that the APC’s local structure in Osun is simply too weak to pose a genuine threat to Adeleke’s popularity. “The battle in Osun is not a contest between Adeleke and the APC; it is between Adeleke and President Bola Tinubu. APC is no match for Adeleke in Osun,” he said. He went further, claiming that even the presidency privately acknowledges this reality. “Everybody agrees on that. They can make all the noise and hullabaloo, but I can tell you today that even the presidency knows. I have a lot of friends in APC; they know they cannot match Ademola Adeleke,” he added.

His comments land at a moment of intense political maneuvering across the state, with all major parties ramping up their campaigns in the final stretch before the poll. While Momodu frames the contest as a heavyweight duel between Adeleke and the federal might of Tinubu, the official ballot will still feature the APC’s candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who has emerged as a formidable challenger in his own right. Adeleke, meanwhile, is seeking a second term, banking on his record and grassroots appeal to fend off the combined forces of the opposition.

Whether Momodu’s prediction holds true remains to be seen, but his words have injected a fresh layer of intrigue into a race that is already being described as one of the most closely watched in the region.