- Minister Gboyega Oyetola addressed APC stakeholders in Osun State on Saturday, warning that the governorship seat would be reclaimed
- Oyetola dismissed Adeleke’s endorsement of President Tinubu as insufficient to save his hold on the state
- The election has been marked by mutual allegations of intimidation and violence between the two major camps
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
Osogbo, Osun State – Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Gboyega Oyetola has told Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke to brace for a loss in the August 15 governorship election, insisting that the governor’s endorsement of President Bola Tinubu would do nothing to keep him in office.
Oyetola was reacting to Adeleke’s claims that APC members and Accord Party leaders were being intimidated ahead of the poll.
Source: Facebook
As reported by The Punch, the former governor made the remarks on Saturday while speaking to All Progressives Congress supporters and stakeholders in Osun State.
Oyetola’s warning to Adeleke
Speaking in Yoruba, Oyetola said the governor’s complaints were a sign that he had already sensed his grip on the state slipping away.
He was direct in his message to Adeleke, saying:
“They realised that they are already losing out. Then they claimed to have endorsed us. He almost cried. Endorsement cannot retain this seat for you. We are taking it over. If you like, make 10 endorsements, we will collect this one from you.”
The minister also brushed aside Adeleke’s repeated references to him during the campaign period, saying he had chosen not to engage the governor publicly.
“If he sleeps and has nightmares, he will say he saw me. If his wife gave him food late, he would say I’m responsible for that. My name is so sweet in his mouth. Meanwhile, we are not even interested in his case. If we get interested in his case, he will feel it.”
Osun election: Road to August 15
According to TVC News, Adeleke is seeking a second term on the Accord Party platform and will face APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji, as well as candidates from other parties.
The race has widely been described as a tight contest between the two frontrunners, with both camps intensifying last-minute campaigns.
The political climate in Osun has grown increasingly tense, with the two camps trading accusations over violence, arrests, and intimidation of supporters.
Adeleke’s team has repeatedly accused the Oyetola-led APC of targeting Accord Party members through raids and arrests involving senior government officials and party leaders. The APC has rejected those allegations.
Oyetola governed Osun from 2018 to 2022, before losing his re-election bid to Adeleke in a closely contested poll.
Four years on, the two former rivals find themselves on opposing sides again, with Oyetola now backing Oyebamiji in the APC’s effort to return to power in the state.
Source: UGC
APGA candidate backs APC’s Oyebamiji
Recall that APGA governorship candidate Adesina Adeyemi-Doro announced his withdrawal from the Osun State governorship race at a media conference in Osogbo on Saturday.
Adeyemi-Doro said consultations with his supporters and senior party officials informed his decision to back APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji
APC’s Oyebamiji welcomed the endorsement and promised an inclusive administration open to cooperation with political groups across the state.
Inside Tinubu’s emergency meeting with 76 APC leaders
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that President Tinubu held a late-night meeting with about 76 Osun APC leaders at Aso Rock Villa following an intelligence report from NSA Nuhu Ribadu.
Ribadu’s report warned that key APC figures in Osun had been sidelined from the party’s campaign activities ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
Leaders at the meeting accused Minister Adegboyega Oyetola of distributing federal appointments exclusively to members of his IleriOluwa camp.
Source: Legit.ng