By Titilope Adako
Political tension rose in Osun State on Thursday as the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) traded accusations over the screening of Governor Ademola Adeleke ahead of the 2026 governorship election.
Governor Adeleke was screened at the PDP National Secretariat, Legacy House, Abuja, alongside other aspirants.
The closed-door session had in attendance the South-West Vice Chairman, Kamarudeen Ajisafe; Osun PDP Chairman, Sunday Bisi; Secretary to the State Government, Teslim Igbalaye; and Commissioners Dr B.T. Salami and Rev Bunmi Jenyo.
After the exercise, Adeleke expressed confidence in his administration’s performance and chances of re-election.
“We have delivered good governance to our people in Osun. Our records and popularity are unrivalled. We have the full backing of the people. Election is about voters, and we know our people love us. We have strong faith in God and the people that we are going to secure re-election overwhelmingly,” he said.
The governor also commended the Federal Government for ensuring credible elections and said his achievements had earned him recognition beyond the state.
But the Osun State chapter of the APC dismissed the PDP screening as a “face-saving move,” alleging it came after Adeleke’s “failed attempt” to defect to the party.
In a statement signed by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, the APC accused the governor of running “a shallow and mediocre administration.”
The party alleged that over ₦60 billion had been spent on the Governor’s Office within 35 months “without recruiting a single teacher into the state’s schools.” It further claimed that tertiary institutions were forced to increase fees due to poor funding, while “no fewer than 32,000 citizens were duped of their hard-earned money under the guise of teacher recruitment.”
Describing Adeleke’s re-election bid as “doomed,” the APC said his government was “riddled with misgovernance, misplaced priorities, vengeance, and wastage of resources.”
It also alleged that the governor had made “desperate moves” to join the APC, saying the PDP screening was “a smokescreen to cover up the embarrassment of his rejection.”
“Information available to us confirms that he was still found last week loitering around Aso Villa, begging and genuflecting for a soft landing to join the APC,” the statement added.
The APC insisted that “no political platform under which Adeleke contests next year’s election would save him from defeat,” claiming that the people of Osun had already “screened him out” based on his record in office.
“The major problem that Governor Adeleke is contending with is the fear of the array of super-qualified governorship aspirants in our party who are all individually capable of defeating him,” the statement concluded, adding that the APC was fully prepared to reclaim power in 2026.
Join us on our WhatsApp Platform @KOIKIMEDIA NEWS YOUR PAGE
KoikiMedia Bringing the World 🌎 Closer to Your Doorstep