Politics: Osun Election: Only Electoral Bandits Boast Of Rigging In Democracy
He also called on residents of the state to remain vigilant and ensure their votes determine the outcome of the poll.
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has criticised the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), warning against what he described as threats to deploy “federal might” to influence the upcoming governorship election in the state.
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This was contained in a statement by the governor’s spokesman, Olawale Rasheed.
Speaking at a meeting with leaders and ward officials of the Accord Party across the 332 wards in the state, Adeleke said federal power should be used for good governance rather than electoral manipulation.
The governor accused the APC of dragging the name of President Bola Tinubu into partisan rhetoric by repeatedly claiming that federal institutions would be deployed during the poll.
According to Adeleke, the President has instead been using federal authority to deliver governance programmes, citing infrastructure projects and policy initiatives.
“The President is using federal power to deliver good governance… not for election rigging,” the governor said, urging the opposition to stop what he described as attempts to undermine democratic principles ahead of the election.
He also called on residents of the state to remain vigilant and ensure their votes determine the outcome of the poll.
“Our people are passionate about free and fair elections. Only electoral bandits boast of rigging in a democracy,” he said.
Support For Gov’s Re-Election
At the gathering, several political leaders voiced support for the governor’s re-election bid.
Among them were the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Lasun Yusuf, and Senator Olu Alabi.
They urged party leaders to intensify grassroots mobilisation and defend votes during the election.
The chairman of the Imole Movement, Wale Oladipo, alongside Osun Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman Sunday Bisi, also reaffirmed their support for Adeleke, calling on party structures across the state to work toward his re-election.
Political Realignment
The build-up to the governorship contest has been shaped by significant political realignments in the state.
In December 2025, Adeleke announced his defection from the PDP to the Accord Party after weeks of consultations with stakeholders, citing the leadership crisis within the PDP as the reason for leaving the party.
The governor later emerged as the Accord Party’s sole candidate for the 2026 governorship election in Osun State, positioning himself to seek a second term under the new platform.
His defection triggered political reactions from opposition figures, particularly within the APC, as the party declared its intention to reclaim the state in the forthcoming election.
The contest is expected to be closely watched in the South-West political landscape as parties intensify preparations for the poll scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be held on August 15.
