Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, have Traded sharp accusations over the integrity of the upcoming governorship election, escalating tensions between the ruling All Progressives Congress and the state government.
The dispute erupted after Oyetola, a former Osun governor and senior APC figure, addressed party stakeholders and supporters during a campaign rally on Saturday. Speaking in Yoruba, Oyetola dismissed Adeleke’s recent endorsement of President Bola Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election, declaring it would not stop the APC from retaking the governorship seat. “They realised that they are already losing out. Then they claimed to have endorsed us. He almost cried. Endorsement cannot retain this seat for you. We are taking it over,” Oyetola said. “If you like, make 10 endorsements, we will collect this one from you.”
Adeleke responded on Sunday through his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, characterizing Oyetola’s remarks as a direct threat to electoral credibility. The governor warned that the comments signal a plan by the APC to manipulate the August 15 poll. “A serving minister of the Republic had made an open threat against a free and fair election,” Adeleke stated. “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 urged democracy advocates and relevant authorities to take note of the minister’s language, insisting that Osun residents would resist any attempt to undermine their constitutional right to choose their leader. He defended his endorsement of Tinubu as proof of his political strength and capacity to mobilize support for the president, arguing that Oyetola’s aggression was damaging the APC’s standing in the state and reflecting poorly on the presidency.
“As for us, we are winning this election by the grace of God and mass support of the people,” Adeleke declared. “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.”
The exchange underscores deepening rivalry in Osun ahead of a contest that has drawn national attention. With a federal minister openly campaigning against a sitting governor from an opposition party, the rhetoric raises concerns about the use of state resources and institutional influence in electoral contests. Observers say the credibility of the process will depend on the neutrality of security agencies and the electoral commission in the days ahead. Both camps have signaled readiness for a fierce battle, setting the stage for a high-stakes confrontation that could test Nigeria’s democratic safeguards at the subnational level.
