The All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke to stop blaming President Bola Tinubu and former governor Adegboyega Oyetola for his political challenges and instead focus on an issue-based campaign ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
The party’s National Secretary, Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, made the remarks during an interview with journalists in Abuja on Tuesday while reacting to allegations made by Adeleke during a campaign rally.
The governor had accused the President and Oyetola of failing to address security concerns in the state, alleging that extrajudicial killings were taking place and warning against a repeat of the political crisis that rocked the South-West in 1983.
“President Bola Tinubu, something is happening in Osun that you have not moved to put an end to. They are killing our people. You are the President; you are the father of all of us. Osun has said it won’t allow rigging,” Adeleke said.
He also drew parallels with the events that followed the disputed elections of 1983, insisting that the people of Osun would demand a free and fair electoral process.
Basiru, however, dismissed the allegations, arguing that the governor’s concerns were driven more by anxiety over the outcome of the election than by any genuine fear of electoral malpractice.
According to him, it was too early to raise concerns about rigging, noting that political circumstances could change rapidly before election day.
The APC chieftain also criticised the Adeleke administration over what he described as poor governance, alleging that more than 20 roads across the state had fallen into disrepair while a shortage of about 30,000 teachers continued to affect the education sector.
He argued that improved infrastructure and increased recruitment of teachers would have strengthened the state’s economy and created employment opportunities.
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Basiru further stated that Adeleke’s endorsement of President Tinubu’s second-term ambition would not automatically guarantee his own re-election bid, adding that the governor must address the concerns of the electorate.
He also attributed the governor’s recent comments to the growing popularity of the APC governorship candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, whose rallies, he said, had attracted large crowds across the state.
In a separate statement issued in Osogbo, the Osun State chapter of the APC accused Adeleke of encouraging political violence and attempting to create excuses ahead of the election.
The party’s spokesperson, Kola Olabisi, described the governor’s allegations against Tinubu and Oyetola as baseless and challenged him to explain allegations that political thugs had been harboured and rewarded with appointments under his administration.
Olabisi also criticised the reported release of individuals serving prison sentences, claiming that the governor was granting amnesty to political loyalists in the days leading up to the election.
He maintained that Adeleke’s support for Tinubu’s 2027 presidential bid would not shield him from electoral competition, insisting that the forthcoming poll would serve as a test of the governor’s performance in office.