Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has expressed confidence in his re-election bid ahead of the 2026 governorship election, vowing to defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, and sustain what he described as a people-centred agenda anchored on good governance.
The governor made the remarks in response to comments credited to former governor and Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, at the APC governorship primary on Saturday.
In a statement issued on Sunday by his spokesperson, Mr. Olawale Rasheed, Governor Adeleke dismissed Oyetola’s optimism as “wishful thinking, illusory grandstanding and a refusal to acknowledge the APC’s overwhelming unpopularity among Osun residents.”
Adeleke described the previous administration under Oyetola as an “anti-people era,” recalling that Osun State was in a dire condition when his government assumed office in 2022. He said Oyetola’s tenure represented “a dark page in Osun’s socio-political history, a period neither labour nor any segment of our population wants re-enacted.”
The governor, who said his re-election bid is backed by a growing mass movement, accused the APC of resorting to anti-democratic practices rather than engaging voters and promoting its policies.
“If you are sure you have the votes of the people, why are you deploying anti-democratic means to stop the unstoppable will of our people? It is shameful and reprehensible that those who claim popularity are afraid to face the people in a free and fair election,” he said.
Adeleke maintained that Osun residents are satisfied with the performance of his administration, citing improvements in workers’ welfare, infrastructure renewal, healthcare delivery, education and inclusive development.
“Osun citizens are enjoying a government that prioritises their welfare and development and therefore have no desire to return to the era of hardship, neglect and anti-people policies associated with the APC’s 12-year rule in the state,” the governor said.
He accused Oyetola and the APC governorship candidate of being central figures in the mismanagement that plunged Osun into economic distress, characterised by half salaries, mounting debts and poor service delivery, adding, “Osun will not go back to the dark days.”
The governor said his administration is reversing those challenges and restoring dignity to governance, noting that the state has earned several awards and recognitions, including its recent emergence as winner of the South-West Primary Health Care Leadership Challenge.
Adeleke further stated that his administration’s performance across key sectors has earned the trust of the people, who he said are determined to defend the gains of good governance at the polls.
“As the August 8, 2026 governorship election approaches, the people of Osun know that a vote for the APC is a vote for a return to the failures of the past. This is a regression they are not prepared to accept,” he said.
The governor reaffirmed his commitment to the continued delivery of democratic dividends and urged residents to disregard political propaganda, assuring them of sustained focus on people-oriented development.
