Osun guber: Adeleke accuses Oyetola of political intimidation, dismisses opposition’s 34 Govs

By Lateef Ibrahim

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has accused his predecessor and Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, of using his relationship with President Bola Tinubu to undermine his administration and intimidate members of the opposition ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

Adeleke, who is seeking another term on the platform of the Accord Party, made the allegations on Tuesday during an Arise TV Town Hall on the Osun governorship election and a separate engagement in Osogbo.

The governor claimed that Oyetola had not recovered from his defeat in the 2022 governorship election, in which Adeleke defeated him while contesting under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

According to Adeleke, Oyetola was allegedly exploiting his relationship with Tinubu to create problems for his administration and influence events in the state ahead of the election.

“Oyetola is still suffering from the pain of the defeat I gave him in the 2022 Osun State governorship election,” Adeleke said.

He further alleged that Oyetola was behind the recent freezing of the Osun State Government’s account by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), claiming that his predecessor had conveyed to the anti-graft agency that the action had presidential backing.

“I am sure he (Oyetola) told EFCC to freeze our account, that Mr President said it should be frozen,” Adeleke alleged.

However, Adeleke said the situation changed after Tinubu personally contacted him, adding that the President expressed concern over the development and assured him of his commitment to a free and fair election.

“I appreciate Mr. President’s call during the recent EFCC freeze order on the state government’s account,” he said.

The governor also accused Oyetola of using federal institutions to intimidate his supporters, alleging that some members of his political camp had been arrested in the run-up to the election.

Adeleke claimed that he had to seek the intervention of Catholic Bishop Matthew Kukah over the detention of members of the Accord Party, saying that while some were subsequently released, one of his candidates remained in detention in Abuja.

He challenged his opponents to rely on their political strength and campaign programmes rather than intimidation, insisting that Osun voters were prepared to determine the outcome of the election.

“Osun people are ready. The work I’ve done speaks for itself. Come this Saturday, I will be victorious,” Adeleke declared.

The governor also dismissed concerns over the number of governors backing the opposition in the election, saying political influence from outside the state would not translate into votes.

Describing himself as a “bulldozer”, Adeleke said he was not intimidated by reports that as many as 34 governors were supporting the opposition camp.

“I am not worried that I am contesting against a party that has 34 governors, I am a bulldozer,” he stated.

He added that the governors could support their preferred candidate but would not be able to vote in Osun State.

“If they like they should bring all their governors, they are all my friends. They are not the ones to come and vote here, they can only support their party,” he said.

Adeleke also dismissed criticism of his public dancing, saying his enjoyment of music did not interfere with his responsibilities as governor.

He said his ability to combine entertainment with governance had become a source of envy among some of his critics.

“In my family we are jolly good fellows, music is in our blood and I tell you what, nobody will stop me from that. As I’m dancing I’m also working,” Adeleke said.

The governor maintained that he remained confident of victory in Saturday’s election, insisting that his record in office and the support of Osun voters would ultimately determine the outcome.