The political atmosphere in Osun State has taken a dramatic turn as Governor Ademola Adeleke has launched a strong verbal attack on former Governor Gboyega Oyetola and the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO), accusing them of allegedly plotting to destabilize the forthcoming August 15, 2026 governorship election.
In a statement released through his spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, Governor Adeleke alleged that opposition figures within the Osun APC are becoming increasingly desperate, claiming their actions are driven by fear of what he described as an “imminent electoral defeat” at the polls.
According to the statement, the Governor maintained that intelligence and internal political assessments allegedly point to growing panic within the opposition camp, suggesting that they are considering “undemocratic means” to alter the electoral process after realizing their dwindling popularity across the state.
“Out of fear of defeat, Mr. Oyetola and his imposed candidate are desperate to disrupt the August 15 election. Having seen clearly that Osun people have rejected them, they are now resorting to anti-democratic means in a last-ditch effort to secure power,” the statement read.
The Governor’s office further referenced what it described as opinion surveys reportedly commissioned by the APC between late 2025 and early 2026. These surveys, as cited in the statement, allegedly placed the party’s popularity below 30 percent, while Governor Adeleke’s approval rating was said to remain between 68 and 72 percent.
“This clearly shows that Governor Adeleke enjoys overwhelming support from the people. The opposition can already see the outcome ahead of August 15. It is a serious nightmare for them,” the statement added.
Political analysts note that Osun State has remained a battleground since the 2022 governorship election, which brought Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into power after a tightly contested race that went through legal and political scrutiny. Since then, both APC and PDP blocs have remained deeply polarized, with rising rhetoric ahead of the 2026 electoral cycle.
The statement also linked the alleged opposition desperation to recent political developments involving Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi, claiming his revelations about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s neutral stance on the Osun election have further weakened expectations of federal influence in the contest.
“That reality unsettled the Oyetola/AMBO faction of the APC. Once it became clear that there would be no external manipulation of the electoral process, their desperation deepened, leaving them with no option but to resort to failed schemes,” Rasheed stated.
Governor Adeleke’s camp also revisited past political tensions in the state, accusing the opposition of repeatedly attempting, but failing, to reclaim power through various controversial means. These include alleged attempts to trigger a local government crisis, create a state of emergency scenario, and disrupt administrative structures across councils in the state.
“They orchestrated local government crises to stall development, but they failed. They attempted to engineer a state of emergency through unlawful actions, but it failed. They sponsored harassment and arrests of government loyalists, yet they failed again,” the statement continued.
It further alleged that there were efforts to block Governor Adeleke from contesting future elections and attempts to influence the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against his candidacy, all of which reportedly did not succeed.
“They even tried to prevent the Governor from appearing on the ballot. His allies claimed INEC would reject his candidacy, but they failed. They attempted to factionalize political platforms, and they failed. Now they are pushing for deregistration of opposition platforms, and they will fail again,” it added.
The Governor’s spokesperson emphasized that the opposition’s actions stem from fear of rejection by the electorate, insisting that the people of Osun are firmly aligned with Adeleke’s administration due to what he described as “visible democratic dividends and grassroots support.”
“The bottom line is clear: they know they will lose. 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,” the statement concluded.
Governor Adeleke was also quoted as expressing confidence in his re-election bid, stating that his anticipated victory over Bola Oyebamiji on August 15 would be determined by the will of the people and what he described as divine grace.
The statement was officially signed by Mallam Olawale Rasheed, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Osun State Governor.
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