Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke warned President Bola Tinubu on Monday, August 3, 2026, against electoral manipulation ahead of the August 15 governorship poll, citing risks of a 1983-style crisis, while the All Progressives Congress dismissed his claims as fear of imminent defeat.
Adeleke’s Warning to President Tinubu Over the August 15 Election
Addressing supporters at a campaign rally at Orita-Sabo in the Olorunda Local Government Area, Governor Ademola Adeleke directly appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene in escalating political tensions. The governor argued that despite the Accord Party endorsing Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election, members of the ruling party were instigating political violence and using compromised police forces to harass supporters.
Adeleke drew a historical parallel to the disputed 1983 elections in the South-West, explicitly referencing the controversies that surrounded Chief Bola Ige’s re-election bid in the old Oyo State and the fierce political dispute in Ondo State. He cautioned that similar attempts to rig the upcoming August 15 ballot could ignite widespread unrest.
“Mr President, I want you to take note of my words, I m the Chief Security officer of Osun, you are a Yoruba man and Osun is Yorubaland, yet, your party chieftains are perpetrating political violence while you look the other way.”
Ademola Adeleke, Osun State Governor
The governor also called on the president to hold Gboyega Oyetola, currently serving as the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, and local police chiefs accountable for ongoing intimidation.
APC Fires Back: Accusations Deflect From Imminent Defeat
The All Progressives Congress forcefully rejected Adeleke’s allegations on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, characterizing his public statements as a desperate attempt to manufacture excuses ahead of an expected electoral loss. Speaking to journalists in Abuja, APC National Secretary Senator Ajibola Bashiru questioned why a sitting governor would voice fears of rigging eleven days before an election.
In a statement issued by Kola Olabisi, the state chapter’s director of media and information, the APC argued that Adeleke’s endorsement of President Tinubu for the 2027 presidential race does not grant immunity from democratic competition. The party accused the governor of harboring political hoodlums and failing to defend his governance record.
“The main problem with Governor Adeleke is that competition is strange to him which is the reason he is crying of political persecution all over the place without any tangible proof to establish his frivolous allegations.”
Kola Olabisi, APC Director of Media and Information
Furthermore, the APC counter-charged that the Accord Party administration was responsible for severe violence.
Campaign Strategies and Electoral Projections Ahead of August 15
While the state government and the ruling party trade heavy accusations, campaign operations for the August 15 ballot continue across the region. At the inaugural meeting of the APC National Campaign Council in Abuja, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin projected confidence in the party’s platform. Jibrin stated that the APC is relying on the support of voters across all 30 local government areas to secure victory for its nominee, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji.
Oyebamiji himself claimed strong momentum during a tour of the Ayedade, Irewole, and Isokan federal constituencies, asserting that 27 out of the 30 local government areas visited had pledged their backing.
On the incumbent side, the Imole Campaign Council, led by Director-General Senator Lere Oyewumi, urged supporters to turn out en masse. Campaign organizers maintained that Adeleke’s infrastructure and governance achievements provide sufficient grounds for voters to return him to office, emphasizing that the electorate must defend their ballots against any form of manipulation on election day.
