The governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in the 2026 Osun State governorship election, Adebayo Simon Adewale, has withdrawn from the race and thrown his weight behind incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke ahead of Saturday’s poll.
Adewale announced his decision on Thursday, August 13, just two days before the election, in a move that adds another significant twist to the rapidly shifting political landscape in Osun State. Multiple media reports confirmed the withdrawal and endorsement.
At a press conference, Adewale said his decision followed extensive consultations with APM leaders, supporters and other stakeholders. He said he had carefully considered the political situation in the state before deciding to step aside in the interest of Osun.
The APM candidate subsequently directed members of the party and his supporters across the state to cast their votes for Adeleke, who is contesting for a second term on the platform of the Accord Party.
Adewale’s decision represents another late political realignment ahead of the August 15 election, coming at a time when the major contenders are intensifying their final mobilisation efforts.
He said his support for Adeleke was based on his assessment of the governor’s performance and his belief that the incumbent should be given another term to consolidate what he described as progress recorded by the administration.
The development could provide Adeleke with an additional political advantage, particularly at the grassroots, as the APM candidate has now formally asked his supporters to transfer their allegiance to the incumbent.
Adewale also framed his withdrawal as a decision motivated by the broader interests of the state, stressing the importance of peace, stability and continued development over personal political ambition.
His exit comes against the backdrop of a series of dramatic political shifts in the final hours before the election. The PDP governorship candidate, Adebayo Olugbenga Adedamola, has also withdrawn from the contest and endorsed Adeleke following a court ruling that upheld his nomination but came too late, according to the party, for him to mount an effective campaign.
With both the PDP and APM candidates now backing Adeleke, the governor enters the final stretch of the campaign with strengthened support from politicians who had initially been positioned as his challengers.
The election remains a competitive three-way contest involving Adeleke of Accord, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Bola Oyebamiji and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate Najeem Salaam, alongside other candidates on the ballot.
The latest withdrawals have therefore reshaped the political calculations ahead of Saturday’s election, turning the final hours of campaigning into a period of intense realignment and coalition-building.
As Osun voters prepare to head to the polls, attention will now focus on whether the endorsements translate into actual votes for Adeleke and how the latest political developments will influence the outcome of what is expected to be a closely watched governorship election.
