Osun 2026: Gov Adeleke, Oyetola trade accusations over poll

The forthcoming gubernatorial election in Osun State is the subject of a dispute between Governor Ademola Adeleke and Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola. Oyetola, a former governor of Osun and prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), asserted that Governor Adeleke should anticipate defeat in the upcoming election.

This statement was made during a gathering of APC supporters and stakeholders in Osun State, where Oyetola also emphasized that Adeleke's endorsement of President Bola Tinubu for the 2027 presidential race would not prevent the APC from regaining the governorship seat.

In response, Governor Adeleke interpreted Oyetola's comments as a threat to the integrity of the election, accusing the APC of attempting to manipulate the electoral process. Adeleke's spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, emphasized in a statement issued on Sunday that his client would not tolerate any interference with Osun voters' constitutional right to freely choose their preferred candidate during Saturday's poll.

Adeleke defended his own endorsement of Tinubu, arguing that it demonstrated his political clout and ability to rally support for the President ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The minister's actions, according to Adeleke, were damaging to the APC's reputation in Osun and tarnishing the image of the President. He declared, "A serving minister of the Republic had made an open threat against a free and fair election. The minister has personally confirmed all previous reports that Osun APC has lost the electoral confidence of the people and is therefore focused only on rigging next Saturday."

Adeleke maintained his confidence in the election's outcome, stating, "We are winning this election by the grace of God and mass support of the people. We are not going to snatch the democratic rights of the people as Mr Oyetola had threatened. We will be re-elected by the choice of the voters."