Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, has alleged that certain members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state are plotting to undermine the governorship election scheduled for August 15, 2026, claiming their actions are driven by fear of electoral loss.
In a statement released by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, in Osogbo on Wednesday, the governor accused elements within the Osun APC of attempting to interfere with the democratic process after recognising their weak standing among voters.
“Having seen clearly that Osun people have rejected them, they (elements in Osun APC) are now resorting to anti-democratic means in a last-ditch effort to secure power,” the statement read.
The statement further claimed that internal opinion polls allegedly conducted by the APC between late 2025 and March 2026 showed the party’s popularity trailing below 30 per cent, while Adeleke’s approval ratings ranged between 68 and 72 per cent.
This clearly shows that Governor Adeleke enjoys overwhelming support from the people. The opposition can already see the outcome ahead of August 15,” it added.
Adeleke also pointed to remarks by Akin Ogunbiyi regarding the position of Bola Tinubu on the Osun election, suggesting that the absence of external interference unsettled factions within the APC, particularly those aligned with Gboyega Oyetola and Oyebamiji.
“That reality unsettled the Oyetola/Oyebamiji faction of the state APC. Once it became public that there would be no external manipulation of the electoral process, the opposition’s desperation deepened, leaving them with no option but to resort to failed schemes.
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They attempted to factionalise political platforms like the Accord, which also failed.
“Now, they are pushing for its deregistration. They will fail again. The opposition’s fear stems from the certainty that Osun people will overwhelmingly reject them at the polls.
“They are afraid of the people and the power of the ballot. That is why they are working tirelessly to undermine the democratic process and deny citizens their constitutional rights to vote and be voted for,” the statement read.
However, the APC in Osun dismissed the allegations. The party’s spokesperson, Kola Olabisi, argued that Adeleke’s claims reflect anxiety over an impending defeat.
Olabisi said, “This is simple arithmetic. Those eminent politicians in their camp have all left. Look at Wole Oke, Fadahunsi, Ajilesoro, Dotun Babayemi, Akin Ogunbiyi and many others.
“So, what is left of their party? Apart from the fact that their party is unpopular, it is also spineless. The people of Osun should discountenance Adeleke because he doesn’t know what he is saying.”