Adeleke accuses Oyetola of threatening Osun election, vows to resist rigging

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has accused the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, of issuing a veiled threat to rig the August 15 governorship election in the state.

Adeleke made the allegation on Sunday in a statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, while reacting to comments made by Oyetola at an All Progressives Congress stakeholders’ meeting in Osun.

Oyetola, a former governor of the state who lost his re-election bid to Adeleke in 2022, had urged the incumbent governor to prepare for defeat in Saturday’s election.

He also dismissed Adeleke’s recent endorsement of President Bola Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election, saying such an endorsement would not prevent the APC from reclaiming the Osun governorship seat.

Speaking in Yoruba, Oyetola said, “A maa gba lowo e,” which translates to “we will snatch it from him.”

The minister was responding to allegations by Adeleke that APC members and leaders of the Accord Party were being intimidated ahead of the election.

Oyetola said the governor’s complaints indicated that he had realised that he was losing support in the state.

Reacting, Adeleke described the statement as an “open threat” against the credibility of the forthcoming election and urged democracy advocates and relevant institutions to take note.

The governor maintained that his administration would not allow any attempt to manipulate the electoral process, insisting that the people of Osun must be allowed to freely choose their next governor.

According to Adeleke, Oyetola’s statement suggested that the APC had lost confidence in its electoral prospects and was considering other means of securing victory.

“A serving minister of the Republic had made an open threat against a free and fair election,” Adeleke said.

He alleged that Oyetola’s remarks had confirmed earlier reports that the APC was preparing to manipulate the election rather than rely on the votes of the people.

Adeleke also accused the minister of undermining the political interests of President Tinubu in Osun through what he described as anti-democratic activities.

He said his decision to endorse Tinubu for a second term in 2027 was based on his belief that he could mobilise substantial support for the President in the state.

According to the governor, Oyetola’s opposition to the endorsement was damaging the APC’s standing among Osun voters.

“Oyetola’s anti-people, anti-democracy activities are tarnishing the image of Mr President and deepening the unpopularity of Osun APC among voters and residents,” Adeleke said.

The governor further alleged that APC members and supporters of the Accord Party had faced intimidation and violence in the build-up to the election.

He accused Oyetola of making light of alleged attacks in which some Accord members were reportedly killed or injured.

Adeleke said the alleged threats would not deter voters from exercising their constitutional rights.

“The bad news for the minister is that Osun people are determined to resist his sadistic agenda,” he said.

The governor recalled that the people of Osun defeated Oyetola in the 2022 governorship election and expressed confidence that they would again reject the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, on August 15.

“As for us, we are winning this election by the grace of God and mass support of the people,” Adeleke said.

He maintained that his administration would seek victory through the ballot rather than through any attempt to undermine the electoral process.

“We are not going to snatch the democratic rights of the people as Mr Oyetola had threatened. We will be re-elected by the choice of the voters,” he added.

The August 15 election is expected to be closely contested, with Adeleke seeking re-election and the APC attempting to reclaim the state four years after Oyetola lost the governorship to the incumbent.

The competing allegations come amid heightened political activities and accusations by rival camps as parties intensify mobilisation ahead of the poll.