Former Governor of Osun State and current Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, has announced that he will not be contesting the 2026 Osun governorship election, declaring his decision as a strategic move to pave the way for fresh leadership within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

Oyetola made this known while addressing party faithful, noting that his withdrawal from the race should not be misconstrued as a retreat from politics, but rather as a calculated step to strengthen the party’s chances ahead of the critical election.

“There are enough qualified, competent, and people of outstanding track records who could aspire to the office,” Oyetola stated, emphasizing that this diversity of capable hands is “a unique selling proposition to feast on,” which he believes will give the APC a competitive edge in reclaiming Osun from the ruling party.

He reiterated his continued commitment to the APC and affirmed his readiness to lead efforts to return the party to power in Osun in 2026. “Our return to power is not negotiable,” he said, pledging that no legitimate effort would be spared to achieve that goal.

Oyetola appealed for unity among party members and warned against divisive tendencies that could undermine the APC’s chances. “I want to appeal to all our aspirants to embrace peace and be each other’s keepers by avoiding a campaign of calumny, bitterness, and politics of acrimony,” he said.

He expressed confidence in the strength of the APC in Osun, describing the party as “strong and able to unseat Governor Ademola Adeleke.” He dismissed ongoing coalition efforts by opposition figures to weaken President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, stating that such alliances hold no weight in the state.

“It is crystal clear that the coalition is drifting to collapse. This has no iota of effect on us, particularly in Osun. We knew this since it is the same TOP that metamorphosed to Omoluabi and later ADC.”

The former governor commended party members for their steadfast loyalty since the 2022 loss and urged them to intensify grassroots mobilization, especially in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.

“Ensure you collect your PVCs. That is our weapon for victory,” he added.