Four Days to Osun Poll: Fresh Troubles for Governor Adeleke
…As Oyinlola, Akinbade, Oladipo, Akinlabi Dump him, Back APC’s Oyebamiji
By Ismail Omipidan
GOVERNOR'S HOUSE IN TURMOIL
Governor Ademola Adeleke has two wives. Both have been assigned offices. One is Igbo, the other is Yoruba. At the onset of the administration, both struggled to attend state functions. At some point, they were reportedly engaged in public altercations at official events. Sources say Yeye Dupe Sani, the governor’s elder sister, stepped in to mediate. But insiders believe she sided with the Igbo wife. The matter has since simmered.
However, even as wives of the governor, it is the governor’s sister who appears to dictate the pace in the government house. This may explain why, while the state’s former First Lady, Hajia Kafayat Oyetola, and the wife of the APC candidate, Dr. Sekinat Oyebamiji, have been busy mobilising voters house-to-house, market-to-market and street-to-street, the governor’s wives were not seen doing same until yesterday, Monday, August 10, when they led a protest in Osogbo, the state capital. They acquitted themselves well.
Unfortunately, their protest came barely 24 hours after the governor’s camp lost some heavyweights whose presence would have influenced voters in their favour.
PDP HEAVYWEIGHTS JUMP SHIP
They are former Governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; former Secretary to the Osun State Government, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade; former National Vice Chairman of the PDP and Oluomo of Osogboland, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo; and former Senator representing Osun West, Senator Olasunkanmi Akinlabi, who also served as Minister of Youth.
At an elaborate ceremony to formally endorse the APC candidate, Alhaji Bola Oyebamiji, Prince Oyinlola said Governor Adeleke had failed to fulfil his electoral promises to the people of Osun, warning that allowing the governor another term could spell doom for the state.
While describing Oyebamiji as an Omoluabi- who possesses the character, competence and vision required to fulfil the aspirations of Osun people, Oyinlola expressed confidence that AMBO’s 7-Point Prosperity Agenda would reposition the state and place it on the path of sustainable economic prosperity.
Responding, Oyebamiji promised not to let the people of Osun down. He said his administration would focus heavily on education, healthcare, agriculture, women and youth empowerment, wealth creation and industrialisation. He pledged that transparency and accountability would be the foundation of governance.
He also promised that government resources would be deployed equitably across all parts of the state, irrespective of senatorial district, local government or political affiliation. He vowed to restore professionalism to public infrastructure delivery, insisting that road contracts under his administration would only be awarded to competent contractors with the requisite technical capacity, and not done in secrecy as allegedly witnessed under the Adeleke administration.
2014 REPLAY IN THE OFFING?
The exit of Oyinlola, Akinbade, Oladipo and Senator Akinlabi has no doubt created more troubles for Governor Adeleke.
If these political leaders, alongside Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi representing Osun East, Hon. Oluwole Oke representing Ijesa-North Federal Constituency, Hon. Sanya Omirin representing Ijesa-South, and Hon. Taofeek Ajilesoro representing Ife Federal Constituency, were still in his corner, the path to a second term would arguably have been far smoother. In fact, he would have been sleeping with his two eyes closed ahead of this Saturday’s election.
This is because these lawmakers, with their army of supporters, and the likes of Oyinlola, were instrumental in 2022 when they helped sway victory in favour of Governor Adeleke against then-incumbent Adegboyega Oyetola. Their grassroots mobilisation and regional influence were widely regarded as key factors in that success.
However, the political landscape has since shifted. The happenings in Osun today are reminiscent of the build-up to Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola’s victory in 2014, when PDP bigwigs like Oyinlola and the late former Governor Isiaka Adeleke left Iyiola Omisore at the die-minute- a move that secured a landslide for Aregbesola.
In that election, as it is today, Aregbesola enjoyed the support of three living former governors. Today, the APC candidate similarly enjoys the backing of three of the four living governors of Osun. The only one yet to endorse him is Aregbesola. But Aregbesola is not supporting Adeleke either. If anything, he has a soft spot for the APC candidate.
APC CONSOLIDATES, WELCOMES RETURNEE GROUPS
Before the latest defections, the Osun APC had earlier received Omoba Dotun Babayemi, a 2022 PDP governorship aspirant, along with his supporters, into its ranks.
Beyond PDP defectors, the APC has also welcomed back several associates and loyalists of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who had distanced themselves from the party during the 2022 election, with many of them then aligning with the incumbent to weaken the APC’s prospects.
Led by Comrade Wale Alabi, the group known as the ‘Blue Movement’ formally returned to the APC on January 14, 2026, with a commitment to rededicate itself to progressive ideals and to lead the APC’s governorship candidate to victory on Saturday.
With Hon. Oluwole Oke serving as DG of the APC campaign, and Senator Fadahunsi leading the party’s victory march in Ijesaland, analysts say the APC’s 2014 template can be replicated this Saturday.
As the saying goes, election victory is about numbers. And with four days to go, the numbers appear to be tilting in favour of the APC and its candidate.
Omipidan writes from Ile Olorisa Compound, Ila Orangun, Osun State.
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