The Osun governorship campaign council of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused Ademola Adeleke, state governor, of making “reckless, inflammatory and seditious” remarks against President Bola Tinubu ahead of the August 15 election.
The campaign council’s comments followed Adeleke’s appeal to Tinubu to intervene in what he described as escalating pre-election violence in Osun.
Speaking at a campaign rally in Olorunda LGA on Monday, Adeleke urged the president to ensure a free and fair election and warned against a repeat of the political violence that engulfed the south-west after the disputed 1983 governorship election.
But a statement issued on Tuesday by Oluwole Oke, director-general of the Osun APC governorship campaign council, said Adeleke’s comments were “false, irresponsible and aimed at blackmailing the president”.
“The governor also made other disparaging and unfounded allegations against the President, including the false claim that President Tinubu is withholding the federal allocations due to the 30 local government areas in Osun State,” Oke said.
“These statements are false, distasteful, irresponsible and completely unsubstantiated. They are nothing but a manifestation of the frustration that has enveloped the outgoing governor as the reality of an impending electoral defeat continues to stare him in the face.
“The governor is crying wolf and running amok like a bereaved wizard, thinking that such theatrics could appeal to the emotions of the people of Osun, who have rejected him over what we consider incompetence and poor performance in office.”
Oke alleged that Adeleke was attempting to portray Tinubu as an enemy of the people of Osun.
“Governor Adeleke’s attempt to blackmail the President and paint him as an enemy of the people of Osun is another desperate strategy to demonise a genuine democrat whose commitment to constitutional governance and the rule of law is well established,” he said.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the legally recognised local government administration in Osun State receives the statutory federal allocations due to it every month.
“It is therefore incorrect and deliberately misleading for Governor Adeleke to accuse President Tinubu of withholding local government allocations. Such falsehood is aimed solely at misleading the public and tarnishing the President’s democratic credentials.”
The APC campaign council also dismissed Adeleke’s claims of political intimidation, alleging that more than 30 APC members and supporters had been killed since 2022 by “Accord Party thugs” allegedly sponsored by his administration.
“It is rather ironic that Governor Adeleke now seeks to portray himself as a victim of political intimidation when, since 2022, no fewer than 30 members and supporters of the APC have been killed by Accord Party thugs allegedly sponsored by his administration, with at least 10 of those deaths occurring in recent times,” Oke said.
He further alleged that the governor would be required to account for the management of public funds after leaving office.
“Governor Adeleke should therefore keep his fake tears and reserve his real cry for the day he will be called upon to answer questions over the alleged mismanagement of Osun State resources under his administration,” he added.
“He will account for the alleged diversion of the ₦2 billion Federal Government grant released in 2023 for the procurement of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to improve public transportation in Osun State.
“Similarly, he will explain the management of the ₦17 billion ecological funds received by the state in 2024 and 2025, as well as the over ₦1 trillion revenue that accrued to the state under his administration.”
Adeleke is seeking a second term on the Accord Party platform, while the APC is backing Bola Oyebamiji in its bid to reclaim Osun after four years in opposition.
