Adeleke claims election interference is looming, takes on Oyetola

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has interpreted a statement made by Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Adegboyega Oyetola as a sign that the All Progressives Congress is planning to manipulate the upcoming governorship election. This allegation was made in a statement signed by Adeleke's spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, which was obtained in Osogbo on Sunday.

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Oyetola had urged Adeleke to prepare for defeat in the August 15 governorship election, stating that his endorsement of President Bola Tinubu would not save his administration. This comment was made while Oyetola was addressing APC stakeholders and supporters in Osun State on Saturday.

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Oyetola's statement was a response to allegations made by Adeleke that APC members and leaders of the Accord were being intimidated ahead of the poll, which Oyetola lost to Adeleke in the 2022 governorship election. Speaking in Yoruba, Oyetola claimed that Adeleke's complaints indicated the governor was losing his grip on the state.

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Oyetola asserted that Adeleke's endorsement of Tinubu would not prevent the APC from reclaiming the governorship seat, 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.

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If you like, make 10 endorsements, we will collect this one from you" Oyetola added, in a statement that Adeleke later described as an open threat to rig the election.

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Adeleke called on democracy advocates to take note of Oyetola's comment and vowed that the people of Osun State would resist any attempt to manipulate the August 15 election, demanding a free and fair poll instead.

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According to the statement, Oyetola had also condemned Adeleke's endorsement of Tinubu for another term in 2027, saying "A maa gba lowo e," meaning "we will snatch it from him" in Yoruba.

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Adeleke viewed his endorsement of Tinubu as a sign of his electoral strength and ability to deliver Osun votes to the President in 2027, and alleged that Oyetola's activities were damaging Tinubu's image and weakening the APC's standing in the state.

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Adeleke claimed that Oyetola's actions were "tarnishing the image of Mr President and deepening the unpopularity of Osun APC among voters and residents" and that the minister had made an open threat against a free and fair election.

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Adeleke further stated that Oyetola had "made a mockery of innocent Accord members who were killed and maimed by APC thugs in cold blood in the last two months" and was pushing to deny the people their rights to vote and be voted for.

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However, Adeleke expressed confidence that the people of Osun would resist Oyetola's plans, saying "The bad news for the minister is that Osun people are determined to resist his sadistic agenda, our people rejected him in 2022, and they will reject his surrogate candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, next Saturday.

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Adeleke concluded by saying "As for us, we are winning this election by the grace of God and mass support of the people, we are not going to snatch the democratic rights of the people as Mr Oyetola had threatened, we will be re-elected by the choice of the voters."