2022 Osun State gubernatorial election

Although there were rumors of a rift between Governor Oyetola and former Governor Rauf Aregbesola that could lead to Oyetola failing to be renominated,[9][10] Osun APC Chairman Gboyega Famodun claimed that Oyetola was widely accepted throughout the state and local APC chapters and thus would have the support of the state party.[11] However, the Osun State APC later factionalized between the Oyetola-aligned IleriOluwa faction (chaired by Famodun) and the Aregbesola-aligned The Osun Progressives faction (chaired by Rasaq Salinsile).[12][13] Despite outside attempts at reconciliation, the party crisis deepened by January 2022 and the threat of two parallel primaries loomed as Oyetola registered to run in the IleriOluwa APC while challengers registered to run in the TOP APC.[14] Eventually, the IleriOluwa faction was recognized by the national APC and the primary continued within it as Aregbesola endorsed challenger Moshood Adeoti while Oyetola began his campaign for a second term.[15]

In January 2022, the APC rescheduled its primary for February 19 with the expression of interest form costing ₦2.5 million and the nomination form costing ₦20 million; a 50% discount would be provided to women candidates and candidates with disabilities. The party also rescheduled its candidate screening and screening appeal process for February 10 and 15, respectively.[16] Different dates had been announced in November but the dates were changed after national revision.[17][18]

In the days before the election, the Oyetola-Aregbesola feud escalated after Aregbesola formally endorsed Adeoti on February 14. Aregbesola then claimed that his convoy was attacked later that day in an assassination attempt while the police and Oyetola administration claimed that Aregbesola's guards shot into the air without any provocation.[19] The next day, Aregbesola allies claimed that they had uncovered a new plot to kill Aregbesola by "state government-sponsored political thugs," thus indirectly accusing Oyetola of organizing the assassination plots.[20] These incidents lead to fears that the primary could be marred by violence despite the increased security presence during the exercise.[21] Thankfully, the practice was mainly peaceful, albeit with one person being shot dead over a non-election related dispute according to police.[22] In the early morning of February 20, head of the primary committee and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq declared Oyetola as the APC nominee after announced results showed him defeating Adeoti and former House Deputy Speaker Yusuf Sulaimon Lasun by over 200,000 votes with 60% turnout.[2] Before the results were even announced, Adeoti and his allies rejected the primary wholeheartedly with his supporters claiming that their names were purposefully left off registers, others observing that INEC officials were absent from units, and Aregbesola calling the primary a "sham of an election."[23] For their part, Oyetola supporters backed the exercise's fairness and Oyetola himself called for party unity the day after the primary.[24][25] Prior to taking outside legal action, Adeoti appealed to the APC primary election appeal committee which denied his appeal;[26] accordingly, Adeoti then asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to declare him winner.[27]

• Gboyega Oyetola: Governor and former Chief of Staff to the Governor[2][28]

• Moshood Adeoti: former Secretary to the State Government[29]
• Yusuf Sulaimon Lasun: former House of Representatives member for Irepodun/Olurunda/Osogbo/Orolu, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, and 2018 APC gubernatorial candidate (defected after to the primary to successfully obtain the LP gubernatorial nomination)[30]

• Najeem Salaam: former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly[31]

By 2021, Ademola Adeleke, the 2018 PDP nominee, had already received the support of the national PDP with party officials claiming he has effectively been given the nomination according to PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary Duran Odeyemi.[34] However, the state PDP claimed that while "the majority of our party stakeholders" were supporting Adeleke, all contenders were allowed to run in the primary. This assessment became contested as the state party later factionalized between the Adeleke-supporting faction (chaired by Sunday Bisi) and the faction aligned with the other five candidates (chaired by Wale Ojo).[13] Another internal battle was sparked in January 2022 when a dispute between Ademola and Dele Adeleke—both members of the powerful Adeleke political family of Ede—escalated and tied in popular musician Davido, cousin of Dele and nephew of Ademola, who has supported Ademola since 2018 and attacked Dele on social media.[35]

In November 2021, the PDP announced that its primary will be held on March 7, 2022 with the sale of the expression of interest and nomination forms being held between November 22 and December 10. On January 8, the PDP rescheduled its candidate screening from January 11 to January 12 with the screening appeal process remaining scheduled for January 26; all six candidates were approved by the committee.[36][37][38] The primary date was later pushed back to March 8.[39]

In the weeks ahead of the primaries, contentious ward congresses to elect delegates for the primary left two people dead and led to fear of continued violence between the Bisi and Ojo factions during the primary itself.[40][41][42] The primary was shaping to primarily be a rematch of the 2018 primary between Ademola Adeleke and Akin Ogunbiyi until Ogunbiyi withdrew on 7 March citing alleged bias from the national party in favour of A. Adeleke; on the same day Sanya Omirin, Dele Adeleke, and Fatai Akinade Akinbade also dropped out leaving just Dotun Babayemi and A. Adeleke in the race.[43][44][45] On the morning of the primary, two parallel primaries held with the Ojo-led faction holding a primary at the Women and Children Development Initiative Foundation (WOCDIF) Centre while the Bisi-led faction (backed by the national PDP) held its primary at the Osogbo City Stadium.[46] After both primaries were peacefully held, the WOCDIF Centre primary ended in Babayemi winning by a wide margin while the Stadium primary resulted in a large win for Ademola Adeleke.[47] The national party-appointed returning officer, Bayelsa Deputy Governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, presided over the Stadium primary and dismissed the WOCDIF Centre primary as "invalid" while former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola backed the WOCDIF Centre primary.[48] The PDP national headquarters gave Adeleke the certificate of return on March 10 but Babayemi stated that the decision was "not the end of journey."[49][50] As the Independent National Electoral Commission only observed the primary that nominated Adeleke, he was listed as the legitimate PDP nominee.[28]

• Ademola Adeleke: former Senator for Osun West, 2018 PDP gubernatorial nominee, member of the Adeleke family, and uncle of opponent Dele Adeleke[38][28]
  • Running mate: Kola Adewusi[51]

• Dotun Babayemi: 2019 ADP Osun West senatorial nominee and son of former Olufi of Gbongan Solomon Oyewole Babayemi[38]

• Dele Adeleke: accountant, member of the Adeleke family, and nephew of opponent Ademola Adeleke[38]
• Fatai Akinade Akinbade: 2018 ADC gubernatorial nominee, former Secretary to the State Government, and former commissioner[38]
• Akin Ogunbiyi: Chairman of Mutual Benefits Assurance and 2018 PDP gubernatorial candidate (defected after the primary to successfully obtain the Accord gubernatorial nomination)
• Sanya Omirin: former commissioner and former Atakunmosa East LG Chairman

• Ayoade Adewopo: 2018 PDP gubernatorial candidate
• Oluwole Oke: House of Representatives member for Oriade/Obokun
• Akinlabi Olasunkanmi: former Minister of Youth Development and 2018 PDP gubernatorial candidate

• Akin Ogunbiyi (Accord)[28]
  • Running mate: Kunle Jimoh[28]
• Peter Segun Awojide (African Action Congress)[28]
  • Running mate: Gideon Fakiyesi[28]
• Kehinde Munirudeen Atanda (Action Democratic Party)[28]
  • Running mate: Claret Agbaje[28]
• Awoyemi Oluwatayo Lukuman (Allied Peoples Movement)[28]
  • Running mate: Akinloye Adesola[28]
• Adebayo Adeolu Elisha (Action Peoples Party)[28]
  • Running mate: Hezekiah Akinpelu[28]
• Adeleke Adedapo (Boot Party)[28]
  • Running mate: Lateef Adenike[28]
• Yusuf Sulaimon Lasun (Labour Party)[54][28]
  • Running mate: Adeola Atanda[28]
• Rasaq Oyelami Saliu (New Nigeria Peoples Party)[28][55]
  • Running mate: Olatunbosun Olusolape[28]
• Samuel Adetona Abede (National Rescue Movement)[28][56]
  • Running mate: Amoo Omolara[28]
• Busuyi Ayowole (People's Redemption Party)[28][57]
  • Running mate: Olowu Aiyedun[28]
• Omigbodun Akinrinola Oyegoke (Social Democratic Party)[28]
  • Running mate: Oni Adesoye[28]
• Ademola Bayonle Adeseye (Young Progressives Party)[28]
  • Running mate: Stella Adeagbo[28]
• John Olufemi Adesuyi (Zenith Labour Party)[28]
  • Running mate: Grace Kemi Fakolade[28]