By Isaac Okoro
Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria – The race for the governorship of Osun State is heating up as Professor Rafiu Durodoye, a Mathematics Professor based in the United States, has officially joined the contest for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket. Professor Durodoye, a native of Osogbo, announced his candidacy with a pledge to prioritize education and quality healthcare delivery if elected in the August 8, 2026 poll.
Accompanied by a sizable group of supporters, Professor Durodoye met with members of the State Working Committee of the APC at the party’s State Secretariat in Osogbo on Wednesday. He expressed optimism that the APC would provide him with a platform to contest the election and contribute his expertise to the development of the state.
“I am Professor Rafiu Durodoye, a Professor of Mathematics at Dallas College for 37 years,” he told journalists after the meeting. “At this point in my life, I have to contribute my quota to the development of Osun State.”
Durodoye lamented the current state of affairs, particularly the lack of opportunity and future for the youth. “I want to donate my knowledge, experience and wealth to the development of our youth. Our youth have no future, no mission, no goal, it is very sad,” he said. “So I have to donate everything that I have in order to make Osun, not only a great state but also a model state that others will learn from in education, health care delivery, science and technology and economy empowerment. I can do it.”
Professor Durodoye commended the leadership provided by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, within the Osun APC. He also lauded President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to stimulate the economy, expressing confidence that the President’s direction would lead to self-sufficient and sustained growth.
When questioned about his chances of securing the APC ticket, the university don remained confident. “I am very hopeful that the party will give me the ticket. I am here to provide service. No quality education in the state, we have to do something about it,” he asserted.
Professor Durodoye joins a growing field of contenders vying for the APC ticket, including the Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority, Mr. Bola Oyebamiji, security expert and lawyer, Mr. Dotun Babayemi, and the chairman of Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc, Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi. The battle for the APC nomination is expected to be fiercely contested in the coming months as aspirants lay out their visions for the future of Osun State.
