As preparations gather momentum for the 2026 Osun State governorship election, residents have identified youth employment, affordable education, agricultural development, infrastructure, and issue-based campaigns as some of the key priorities they expect from whoever emerges as the state’s next governor.

The expectations were expressed during Gbagede Oro, a political programme on Afinju 90.7FM, where listeners were invited to share their views on what they want from the incoming administration.

One of the callers, Hamzat Olaide, stressed the need for government to prioritise youth employment and improve the standard of living. While acknowledging the importance of road construction, he urged the next administration to focus more on rehabilitating roads in rural communities to boost economic activities rather than concentrating mainly on flyover projects.

Another participant, Mr. Kejiola, also called for the creation of more employment opportunities. According to him, job creation should not be limited to white-collar employment, as empowering people with vocational skills and supporting small businesses would have a greater impact on livelihoods.

He noted that many Nigerians who relocate abroad take up jobs that may appear less attractive but are able to earn a decent living because of the stronger value of foreign currencies. He also appealed to the next government to sustain and improve access to free education.

Speaking on the programme, Mr. Olalekan expressed concern over the conduct of governorship aspirants during media engagements. He observed that many aspirants spend more time criticising one another instead of presenting their manifestos and policy plans to the electorate.

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Another caller, Mr. Abdulsalam, emphasised the importance of agriculture in driving the state’s economy. He urged the government to establish farm settlements and empower both young and experienced farmers with the resources needed to increase food production and promote agricultural exports.

He also called for a reduction in tuition fees to curb the growing number of out-of-school children and encourage greater access to education. In addition, he advocated the recruitment of more teachers and healthcare workers to strengthen the education and health sectors.

Also contributing, Ganiyu Ademola underscored the need for governorship aspirants to present clear manifestos, saying campaign promises provide a benchmark for citizens to assess government performance. He identified human capital development as the most important area the next administration should prioritise.

Residents also drew attention to the continued deterioration of a portion of the road linking Lameco through the School of Nursing area to Okinni, attributing its poor condition to the absence of proper drainage. They noted that erosion has continued to damage the portion of road and appealed to the relevant authorities to urgently construct drain channels and rehabilitate the road to prevent further deterioration.

Meanwhile, residents commended the swift intervention on the road at Ofatedo after its poor condition was reported on Afinju 90.7FM. They described the prompt response as commendable and urged the government or those who are responsible to sustain such responsiveness by addressing other critical infrastructure needs across the state.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled the Osun State governorship election for Saturday, August 15, 2026.