Senate President Godswill Akpabio and several governors joined the APC’s final mobilisation for its candidate ahead of Saturday’s governorship election

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo, Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo, Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and House of Representatives member James Faleke arrived in Osogbo, Osun State, on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, for the All Progressives Congress mega rally in support of the party’s governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, ahead of Saturday’s election.

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The high-profile gathering represents the APC’s final major mobilisation before the campaign window closes, giving the party an opportunity to put its national and state political machinery on display as voters prepare to choose Osun’s next governor.

The APC Osun rally is expected to bring together party leaders, campaign coordinators, supporters and members from the state’s 30 local government areas, creating a sizeable final show of strength for Oyebamiji.

The arrival of the senior party figures also underlines the importance the APC has attached to the contest. The party is seeking to translate months of campaigning and grassroots mobilisation into votes when Osun residents go to the polls on Saturday.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has scheduled the governorship election for August 15, 2026. The commission’s official election calendar confirms the Saturday poll date.

The campaign has been conducted against an increasingly competitive political backdrop, with 13 candidates in the race, although the contest has largely centred on the leading candidates, according to recent assessments of the election.

For the APC, Oyebamiji has been the central figure in its campaign.

The former Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority emerged as the party’s candidate after its governorship primary in Osogbo in December 2025.

His campaign has focused on presenting the APC as a vehicle for renewed development in the state, with Oyebamiji repeatedly asking voters to support his bid.

The final mobilisation has also extended beyond the formal rally programme.

Visiting governors and other party leaders have been engaging APC members and supporters, including indigenes of their respective states who live in Osun, in an effort to widen the coalition behind the party’s candidate.

That approach reflects the increasingly national character of state-level election campaigns, where political parties often rely on networks of governors, legislators and party officials to strengthen their reach beyond the immediate campaign team.

The APC’s effort has received support from prominent Osun political figures.

Former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola and former Deputy Governor Iyiola Omisore recently declared support for Oyebamiji, providing an additional boost to the candidate as the campaign entered its final days.

The party has sought to portray the election as an opportunity for Osun to return to what it describes as the progressive political tradition associated with the APC.

Its messaging has also been directed at incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke, with the party recently arguing that the state was ready to return to its fold.

Wednesday’s rally therefore carries significance beyond the spectacle of prominent politicians arriving in Osogbo.

It is the APC’s final opportunity before polling day to consolidate its message, energise its supporters and reinforce the organisational structures expected to deliver votes.

For Oyebamiji, the presence of Akpabio, Uzodimma and the visiting governors offers a powerful visual demonstration of the backing behind his candidacy.

For the party leadership, the gathering is also a test of how effectively its campaign machinery can convert national support and large rallies into local voter engagement.

The final days of the campaign have also brought renewed attention to the need for a peaceful election.

With political competition intensifying, security agencies and electoral stakeholders have repeatedly urged candidates and supporters to avoid conduct capable of disrupting the process.

Once the campaign period closes, the emphasis will shift from rallies and political messaging to voters, polling units and the electoral process itself.

The APC’s final push in Osogbo is therefore less than a conclusion than a last appeal.

Also read: Oyebamiji Vows APC Will Defeat Adeleke in Osun

After months of mobilisation, Oyebamiji and his party must now wait for Osun voters to determine whether the momentum generated by the campaign can translate into victory on August 15.