The Osun State chapter of the Accord Party has criticized the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Oyebamiji, over his recent statement likening the forthcoming 2026 Osun governorship election to “a penalty without a goalkeeper.”
In a statement issued on Monday, the Osun State Chairman of Accord, Pastor Victor Babalola Akande, described the comment as “arrogant and disconnected from political reality,” insisting that elections in the state cannot be taken for granted.
Akande said Osun voters remain politically conscious and will not treat the 2026 election as a foregone conclusion. He argued that the APC’s defeat in the 2022 election reflected what he called the people’s rejection of the party’s governance style, noting that Oyebamiji served as Commissioner for Finance during the last APC administration.
“Let it be clearly stated that Osun people did not merely vote out APC in 2022; they revolted against incompetence and harsh administrative policies. To assume the 2026 election is a walkover is an insult to the intelligence of Osun citizens,” the statement said.
The Accord chairman insisted that governance should not be treated as an entitlement, adding that voters will judge candidates based on credibility, acceptance, and performance records.
Akande maintained that the 2026 governorship election would be “a referendum” rather than a simple political contest, expressing confidence that Osun residents would actively participate in deciding the next leadership of the state.
He added that the Accord Party is prepared to contest the election and urged political actors to respect democratic processes rather than “projecting election victory as guaranteed.”
