APC targets Osun governorship as test for 2027 elections

The All Progressives Congress has declared its intention to win the upcoming Osun State governorship election, framing the contest as a critical test run for the 2027 general elections. Speaking at the inauguration of the party's National Campaign Council in Abuja on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, APC National Chairman Professor Nentawe Yilwatda said the August 15 election is a must-win for the ruling party.

Yilwatda described the Osun election as the last gubernatorial contest before the 2027 national polls and called it a litmus test for the party's preparedness. He said the election would serve as a rehearsal for the political machine being built for the presidential election. To secure victory, Yilwatda outlined an aggressive, grassroots mobilization plan involving the party's highest-ranking officials. He stated that governors from the South-West, South-South, and South-East would each take responsibility for a senatorial district in Osun, working alongside National Assembly members, state lawmakers, and local government chairmen. Governors from the north would also deploy their local officials and legislators for person-to-person, house-to-house campaigning across the state.