Temitope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Publicity, on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, publicly backed All Progressives Congress governorship candidate Bola Oyebamiji in Osun State, arguing that the former finance commissioner presented the strongest case for leading the state at a televised town hall ahead of Saturday’s election.

The endorsement comes just three days before Osun voters are due to choose a governor for the next four years, with incumbent Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party and African Democratic Congress candidate Najeem Salam also seeking the state’s top political office.

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Ajayi’s intervention followed a town hall organised by Arise TV, where the leading candidates discussed their records, policy priorities and plans for Osun.

In a series of posts on X, Ajayi said Oyebamiji demonstrated a clearer understanding of the responsibilities attached to running a state government, particularly its finances.

“The state is not recruiting an entertainer, a professional campaigner or a permanent opposition politician. It is recruiting a chief executive to manage a financially constrained public enterprise called Osun State,” Ajayi wrote.

He added that, based on the town hall, Oyebamiji “made the stronger case that he understands that job”.

The assessment reflects one of the central themes of the election campaign: whether voters will prioritise Adeleke’s record in office, Oyebamiji’s experience in public finance and administration, or Salam’s alternative political platform.

The Oyebamiji Osun poll campaign has increasingly emphasised his background in banking, public finance and state investment management.

Oyebamiji served as Commissioner for Finance under former governors Rauf Aregbesola and Gboyega Oyetola.

He also previously headed Osun State Investment Company Limited, giving his campaign a strong focus on financial management and economic development.

Ajayi argued that the experience distinguishes Oyebamiji from his opponents, saying the APC candidate presented himself as someone who had “actually managed public finances rather than just speaking about them”.

The claim, however, has become part of a broader political contest over Oyebamiji’s record.

The Osun State Government has published a lengthy rebuttal of the APC candidate’s suitability, accusing Oyebamiji of responsibility for several policies and financial decisions during his previous roles.

Among other allegations, the government has questioned his record at Osun State Investment Company and his involvement in the previous administration’s management of state finances.

Those allegations have not gone unanswered politically, underscoring the extent to which the former administrations of Aregbesola and Oyetola have become part of the 2026 campaign.

Ajayi also criticised Adeleke’s performance at the town hall, arguing that the incumbent spent too much time attacking former governors rather than making a detailed case for his own administration’s achievements.

Adeleke, who is seeking another term, has defended his record by pointing to projects and programmes implemented since taking office.

The state government has said its administration inherited substantial pension and salary obligations and has made significant payments towards those liabilities.

The governor’s camp has also challenged Oyebamiji’s record. In March, the Osun Government published what it called “23 reasons” why the APC candidate was not fit to govern the state, including allegations concerning his handling of state investments, workers’ welfare, debt and other financial matters.

Ajayi’s criticism also extended to Najeem Salam, the ADC candidate and former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly.

The presidential aide described Salam’s promises as ambitious but questioned whether adequate funding arrangements had been presented for the proposed programmes.

The criticism highlights a difficult reality facing whoever wins the election.

Osun has long had to manage significant fiscal pressures, making the credibility of campaign promises and the ability to fund them important considerations for voters.

Oyebamiji has made his financial background a central part of his pitch. During the campaign, he has presented himself as a candidate who understands government through the lens of budgeting, investment and resource management.

His political opponents, however, have sought to make his record in previous administrations part of the scrutiny facing his candidacy.

The election itself has developed into a closely watched three-way contest. Analysts have identified Adeleke, Oyebamiji and Salam as the principal contenders, despite 14 political parties being cleared to participate in the poll.

The APC is attempting to regain the governorship after losing the state to Adeleke in 2022. Oyebamiji’s candidacy has therefore become central to the party’s effort to rebuild its political position in Osun, while Adeleke is seeking to retain power under the Accord Party.

Premium Times has described the contest as a difficult race for the APC, given the party’s reduced influence in the state since its 2022 defeat.

Oyebamiji has also received backing from some community and religious groups during the campaign.

In July, the Concerned Muslim Stakeholders and League of Alfas endorsed the APC candidate after assessing the leading contenders, citing his political reach and perceived electoral viability.

At the same time, the campaign has been accompanied by sharp political disagreements and allegations from both sides, reinforcing the importance of evidence and independent scrutiny as voters assess the competing claims.

With the August 15 election approaching, Ajayi’s endorsement adds a prominent voice from the presidency to Oyebamiji’s campaign, although the final decision will rest with Osun voters.

The immediate question is whether arguments about managerial competence, financial experience and government performance will carry greater weight than personality, party loyalty and the political alliances surrounding each candidate.

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For Osun, the choice is now only days away, with the competing campaigns making their final appeals before voters determine who will take charge of the state’s finances, institutions and development agenda.