Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has condemned All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, over comments suggesting that the party will reclaim Osun in the 2026 governorship election.
Adeleke accused the former Kano State governor of attempting to disrupt the political stability of the South West.
In a statement issued Monday by his media aide, Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke called Ganduje’s remarks “anti-democratic” and urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene.
The comments come after Governor Lucky Ayedatiwa’s victory in the Ondo State governorship election over the weekend. Following the win, Ganduje said APC would also take control of Osun in 2026.
Adeleke, however, dismissed Ganduje’s claim, pointing out that electoral outcomes are influenced by local dynamics rather than national trends.
“As a seasoned politician, one would expect Dr. Ganduje to understand that electoral outcomes are shaped by local factors,” Adeleke said. “What works in Edo or Ondo may not apply in Osun, where voter behavior is driven by local issues, not external forces.”
Adeleke further questioned Ganduje’s confidence, pointing to his failure to secure his home state of Kano in recent elections. “If Ganduje could not win in his own state due to internal opposition, why does he think the people of Osun, who overwhelmingly supported Governor Adeleke, will allow their will to be ignored in 2026?” he added.
He emphasized that Osun, a key part of the Yoruba heartland, is a place where political freedom is highly valued, and resistance to electoral fraud is a long-standing tradition.