Osun 2026: NIWA boss, Oyebamiji, joins guber race

Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Bola Oyebamiji, on Tuesday, declared his gubernatorial ambition for the 2026 election in Osun state.

The party chieftain and his political associates who stormed the state APC Secretariat in Osogbo affirmed that he was competent to run for the position.

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At the party secretariat, they were received by the leadership of the party.

Addressing his supporters shortly after a meeting with the party’s leaders, Oyebamiji declared for the Osun election, saying, “After consulting with leaders of the party about my aspiration to become the governor of the State in 2026, I come here today to declare my intention.

“I am presenting myself to rescue this state. I have what it takes to govern the state because of my experience in the private and public sectors. I have gained experience having served as the finance commissioner in the state.

“I have what it takes to be governor if my party, APC, give me the guber ticket. I will not just contest, I will win with the support of everyone. We have seen how this state is mismanaged under the current government; they have totally deviated, which is not sitting well with the tenets of our party.

“Part of the experience I have, made President Bola Tinubu and Minister of Marine to push me for national assignment. I am hereby declaring my aspiration to become the candidate of the party and also win come 2026.

“I am here today to honor the party’s structure and inform the party leadership of my intention to run for governor of the state in 2026.

“For us to start any advocacy or campaign, we have to come here (party secretariat) to have their blessing and to communicate my interest today.

“I charge leadership of the party to look at the demand of some groups agitating that, the gubernatorial ticket should be zoned to Osun West Senatorial District of the state.

“Yes, I am from the West. For equity and justice, we are appealing to our leaders to look into that senatorial district so that we can balance the equation.

“However, in the West, North, and East Central, Bola Oyebamiji is competent to run for the governorship race.

“I will run a good government if elected, I have been in this government for almost 15 years, I have worked with the highest leadership of the party, and have spent 28 years in the private enterprise, combine together I have what it takes to run a good government if given the opportunity.”

While x-raying president Bola Tinubu performance in governance, Oyebamiji said, “Tinubu has done enough to expect Nigerians to vote for the party at any level in the country.

“The president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has done very well, he did well, you can see the restructuring of our economy. The most important thing about driving a nation is the economy. That school of thought is the best school of thought in the world. We are gradually coming out of a developing country to a developed country through right policies and decisions on propelling the economy of this country, so my assessment is that the president is doing very well.”

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