Osogbo has drawn a line in the sand — and 2026 is on the other side

There are moments in the life of a city when its collective spirit shifts – quietly at first, then unmistakably. That is the Osogbo I encountered recently: a capital humming with clarity, determination, and a renewed understanding of its own political weight. Conversations across the city no longer revolve around what might happen in the future; they centre on what Osogbo is prepared to make happen now. The atmosphere feels like a city stepping into its own agency after years of deferring its rightful ambition.

This clarity becomes even more significant when placed beside current electoral data. Osun state now tops the national chart of newly registered eligible voters, recording about 185,089 out of Nigeria’s 2.3 million fresh CVR completions. A sizeable percentage of these nearly 200,000 new voters belong to Osogbo – driven by intentional civic advocacy and strong community mobilisation across agbooles and homesteads. The numbers are not just statistics; they are a subtle declaration of readiness.

Osogbo is done waiting.

And this time, the mood is different. It is not the recycled political mantra of “our turn will come.” It is a grounded, unified insistence that the capital city must rightfully stake its claim in 2026. What stands out is not noise or agitation but consensus—a rare convergence of voices across divides. From community leaders and professionals to artisans, traditional custodians, and political actors, the refrain is consistent: 2026 is Osogbo’s year to lead.

Underlying this confidence is a shared conviction around one individual—Kunle Rasheed Adegoke, SAN  (KRAD). The alignment behind him is not accidental, nor is it the product of fleeting political excitement. It feels more like a thoughtful convergence of interests, ambitions, and assessments. In countless side conversations, strategy discussions, and community engagements, his name emerges as the embodiment of Osogbo’s aspirations.

KRAD represents something the city has been waiting for: a candidate who appeals simultaneously to emotion and logic, to grassroots and elite, to tradition and modern political strategy. He is seen as the bridge between a city eager to reclaim its place and a party—APC—that needs a credible, relatable, and refined contender.

This support has not been hidden in whispers. Osogbo’s leaders have taken their resolve directly to the party’s highest moral and political authorities: Baba Bisi Akande, minister of marine & blue economy, Gboyega Oyetola, the state APC leadership and traditional rulers and their councils

The tone of these engagements was respectful but unmistakably clear: “Osogbo is aligned. Osogbo is prepared. And Osogbo is hoping the party recognises the unity emerging here.”

This unity is noteworthy because capital cities are rarely aligned. They are typically fragmented by interests, ambitions, and overlapping power blocs. Yet, Osogbo has managed to collapse these divides into one shared declaration: “We will not stand on the sidelines any longer.”

This unity is reinforced by political developments within the APC itself – such as the weekend withdrawal of the party’s National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, from the 2026 governorship race, citing reasons that further recalibrate the field and open new strategic pathways.

All these developments – grassroots energy, elite alignment, favourable demographics, and shifting party dynamics – are converging into a clear trajectory. Osogbo is not just expressing desire; it is demonstrating leverage.

And that leverage is grounded in structure, numbers, and momentum.

The capital city enters the 2026 cycle with tangible advantages: A rapidly growing voter base; strong APC machinery; expanding urban influence; deep emotional investment, an unprecedented elite consensus and a candidate who resonates with both the city and the broader party family

These are not the ingredients of a plea. They are the foundations of a strategic, well-coordinated plan.

What is unfolding is deliberate: a harmonising of aspirations, grievances, civic energy, and political arithmetic into a serious, well-timed push to break the historical ceiling that has kept Osogbo outside the governorship seat.

Osogbo is not raising dust; it is raising structure. Not emotions, but a strategic pathway. Not entitlement, but readiness.

For the first time in decades, the capital city is approaching the governorship contest with an edge that is difficult to contest and impossible to ignore.

2026 is no longer just about aspiration. It is about positioning. And Osogbo is positioned – clearly, confidently, and with the numbers to back its resolve.