Osun

2026: Do You Stand A Chance Before? – Nigerians React To Basiru’s Withdrawal From Guber Race

ByKazeem Badmus

PublishedNovember 24, 2025

Nigerians have reacted to the withdrawal of the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibola Basiru, from the 2026 gubernatorial race in Osun State.

Basiru had officially dumped his ambition to contest the August 08, 2026 governorship election at the commissioning of his political office, Alubarika House, in Osogbo, on Saturday.

The former Osun Central lawmaker who had earlier announced his intention to run for the office, said the decision to dump his ambition was due to instructions from President Bola Tinubu.

He said, “Considering the enormous responsibilities of my current office as National Secretary of our great party and after due consultations with our esteemed leaders and stakeholders, particularly, the Leader of our party and President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it has become necessary to emphatically state that I shall not be contesting the 2026 Osun State Governorship Election.

“The demands of national assignment, particularly the imperative of strengthening our party structures and the responsibilities of preparing for the 2027 general elections, require my unwavering commitment to the unity, success and stability of our party at all levels”.

Following the announcement, Basiru took to his official X account to announce the development, with most commenters questioning whether the APC national secretary stands a chance before.

Replying to Basiru’s post, an X user, Sola Thanni, accused APC of partiality, suggesting that the national secretary and some other aspirants will also leave the race.

He wrote, “I know you were going to be stopped by BAT & Oyetola forces. Hope they will compensate you with a federal post. Dotun too was deceived to join APC, well he may settle for deputy or Secretary to State Govt. With this partiality, I don’t think APC can win the Osun governorship election.”

Another X user who commented, @RalphLa98810145, said Basiru was not in the race before and can never win an election in his country home, not to mention the entire state.

“We’re all know if you were ever in the race and never optout, you can never win governorship elections in osogbo talkless of osun state,” he said.

For Abeylincoln, Basiru’s withdrawal from the race avoided him the embarrassment that would have come with his defeat.

The X user who wrote in pidgin said, “You for stay inside the race and see your shame.”

Meanwhile, the Osun State African Democratic Congress New Media Team has condemned the APC national scribe over what it described as a “reckless and hypocritical” statement he made against the National Secretary of the ADC, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, during the opening of his campaign office.

The ADC New Media in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Akande Abimbola, Basiru has shown that the APC is not just failing Nigerians but also desperate, intolerant of criticism and willing to attack anyone who dares expose its incompetence.

“The party has shown that it wants Nigeria to function as a one-party state, where dissent is punished and propaganda reigns.

“Instead of explaining why APC has presided over soaring insecurity, skyrocketing unemployment, and an economy in freefall, Basiru chose to launch petty attacks on Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. The Osun ADC New Media sees this as nothing more than a self-serving distraction, a feeble attempt to shield APC’s failures while protecting his own political pot of soup,” the statement noted.

The statement also mocked the APC national secretary, noting that his withdrawal from the governorship race showed he is a “paperweight” politician.

“Basiru withdrew from the Osun Governorship race, proving he is a paperweight politician who overestimated his abilities,” the statement added.

Kazeem Badmus

Kazeem Badmus is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience. A professional in journalism and media writing, Kazeem prioritses accuracy and factual reportage of issues. He is also a dexterous finder of the truth with conscious delivery of unbiased and development oriented stories.