Atiku Abubakar and David Mark arrive in Osun for the ADC final campaign rally as Najeem Salaam seeks victory in the August 15 governorship election
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and African Democratic Congress national leader David Mark arrived in Osun State on Monday, August 10, 2026, for the party’s final campaign rally ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
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The visit comes as the ADC intensifies its push for its governorship candidate, Najeem Folasayo Salaam, with just days remaining before voters across the state head to the polls.
Atiku and Mark departed Abuja together for Osun, where the party is expected to make a final appeal to voters before campaigning closes ahead of the August 15 election.
The contest has attracted significant attention as 14 political parties prepare to participate in the election. The Independent National Electoral Commission has listed 2,339,233 eligible voters across Osun’s 30 local government areas, 332 wards and 3,763 polling units.
Salaam, a former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, is seeking to unseat the incumbent, Ademola Adeleke, while also facing competition from the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, among others.
The ADC candidate served as Speaker of the Osun Assembly from 2011 to 2015 and returned to the House in 2015, remaining Speaker until 2019. The party has presented his legislative experience as part of the argument for his candidacy.
Salaam has also focused his campaign on governance and economic development. In May, he said his administration would prioritise addressing Osun’s persistent electricity challenges if elected.
He said his campaign was centred on “governance, development, and policies capable of improving the lives of the people”, while accusing some politicians of relying too heavily on personal attacks during election campaigns.
The final rally is expected to give Atiku and Mark an opportunity to strengthen the ADC’s grassroots campaign and reinforce their support for Salaam before the final voting day.
The former vice president’s involvement also gives the Osun contest a broader national political dimension, coming as opposition forces increasingly use state-level elections to test their organisational strength ahead of the 2027 general election.
The ADC has faced its own political and legal challenges in recent months. A Federal High Court ruling in June directed the deregistration of the ADC and several other parties, although the development has been contested and remains tied to ongoing legal proceedings.
Despite those challenges, the party has continued campaigning in Osun, with Salaam’s campaign organisation maintaining that it is focused on winning the governorship contest.
The election is being closely watched because of its potential significance beyond Osun. With more than 2.3 million registered voters and a competitive field, the result is expected to offer an important indication of voter sentiment before the 2027 general elections.
For the ADC, however, the immediate priority is clear: turning the momentum of its final campaign into votes for Salaam on August 15.
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With Atiku and Mark now in Osun for the closing rally, the party is making its final push before the campaign gives way to the voters.
