By Erewunmi Peace

The race for the Osun State 2026 governorship ticket under the All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken a dramatic turn as seven aspirants have officially withdrawn from the party’s primary election.

The decision came shortly after a closed-door meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where discussions focused on party unity and the need for a single, stronger front ahead of the 2026 election.

During the meeting, the aspirants reportedly agreed to step down in the interest of cohesion and to prevent internal crisis within the APC. They also pledged their support for a consensus candidate, former Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji.

Those who stepped down include several previously screened-out aspirants who had earlier expressed interest in the race. Party leaders have described the development as a strategic move to consolidate strength and ensure the APC contests the governorship election as a united body.

However, not all aspirants were present at the meeting. Former National Secretary of the APC, Iyiola Omisore, was notably absent and has not publicly aligned with the consensus arrangement. This has fuelled speculation about possible internal disagreements ahead of the primary.

The APC leadership in Osun State is expected to release further details regarding the primary and clarify the final list of cleared aspirants.