The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Osun State held its state congress in Osogbo over the weekend, electing new party executives in preparation for the 15 August 2026 governorship election. Delegates from all 30 local government areas attended the event, which was conducted under tight security by police and Department of State Services (DSS) operatives. Mudashiru Akinlabi chaired the Congress Committee that oversaw the process. Issa Adesiji, former chairman of Ilesa West Local Government, was elected state chairman. Lani Baderinwa, ex-Commissioner for Information under ex-Governor Rauf Aregbesola, emerged as secretary. Consensus led to the appointment of Adepeju Adigun as treasurer, Funmilade Oyebode as women leader, Ademola Owoade as youth leader, and Oluwaseun Abosede as publicity secretary. Adesiji, in his acceptance speech, declared the 2026 election a "must-win" and called for unity and dedication. The ADC's governorship candidate, Dr Najeem Salaam, attended with his running mate, Yemisi Agiri. Salaam defended his choice of a female deputy, stating it reflected the party's commitment to inclusivity and competence, particularly in advancing education, healthcare, and social development.
Najeem Salaam's repositioning of the ADC in Osun hinges not on spectacle but on structure, and the selection of Lani Baderinwa as party secretary signals a deliberate tilt toward experienced governance hands. Baderinwa is no grassroots upstart—he served under Aregbesola, a governor whose administration still commands respect among urban and middle-class voters. His appointment, alongside former local government chairman Issa Adesiji, suggests the ADC is prioritising administrative credibility over populist appeal.
This is not just about 2026—it's about reclaiming political space in a state long dominated by the APC and PDP. By fielding Yemisi Agiri as deputy governorship candidate and embedding her legitimacy within the party's organisational framework, the ADC is challenging the tokenism that often surrounds female candidates in Nigerian politics. Salaam's emphasis on competence over symbolism finds grounding in Agiri's visibility at the congress, not as a photo-op but as a co-equal in the campaign architecture.
For Osun voters weary of recycled political faces, the ADC's lineup offers a plausible alternative—one that blends experience with incremental progress on representation. If the party sustains this cohesion, it could disrupt the binary narrative that has defined the state's politics for over a decade.
