Veteran journalist and African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain Dele Momodu has formally endorsed Governor Ademola Adeleke for a second term in the Osun State governorship election scheduled for August 15, 2026.
In a statement posted on his verified X handle on Tuesday, the publisher of Ovation Magazine declared that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had turned the state into a “theater of war.” He argued that the only sensible strategy for opposition forces was to align immediately behind the incumbent. Momodu referred to Adeleke as the Accord Party candidate, urging a united front to prevent the APC from securing what he described as an “easy alibi to rig” the upcoming poll.
Momodu described the governor as a “global phenomenon” who would easily defeat President Bola Tinubu in a direct popularity contest. He insisted the endorsement was based strictly on administrative merit rather than friendship or family ties. “Adeleke is the best amongst Nigerian governors, in order of extraordinary performance in infrastructure, Health, education, staff welfare, labour unions, agriculture, commerce, culture, women empowerment, youth integration, and so on,” Momodu wrote.
The ADC stalwart listed a broad spectrum of governance indices to support his assessment, covering physical infrastructure, social services, economic sectors, and demographic inclusion. He warned that a fragmented opposition would only facilitate electoral manipulation by the ruling party. “We should never supply the APC an easy alibi to rig the Osun gubernatorial election on August 15, 2026,” he stated, concluding with a prayer for the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The intervention adds significant weight to the early mobilization for the 2026 off-cycle election. Osun State remains a critical battleground in Nigeria’s southwest, where the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have historically Traded control. Adeleke, elected on the PDP platform in 2022, faces the challenge of securing re-election amid internal party dynamics and a resurgent APC machinery at the federal level.
Momodu’s call for a unified opposition coalition—specifically citing the Accord Party platform—signals potential realignments ahead of the formal campaign season. Political analysts suggest the effectiveness of such a strategy will depend on the willingness of major opposition figures to subordinate party structures to a consensus candidacy. The coming months will test whether the opposition can translate elite endorsements into a cohesive electoral vehicle capable of challenging the incumbent party’s structural advantages.
