DistantNews
Support us
🇳🇬 Nigeria /Elections & Politics

Osun poll: Stop blaming Tinubu for your troubles, APC tells Adeleke

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • The All Progressives Congress (APC) urged Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke to focus on his record rather than blaming President Bola Tinubu for political challenges.
  • APC National Secretary Ajibola Bashiru dismissed Adeleke's allegations of violence and election rigging as baseless.
  • Bashiru advised Adeleke to campaign on his achievements and account for his administration's performance, citing poor road conditions and teacher shortages.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke to cease blaming President Bola Tinubu and the ruling party for his political difficulties, particularly ahead of the August 15 governorship election. Instead, the APC urged Adeleke to concentrate on defending his performance in office.

President Bola Tinubu, something is happening in Osun that you have not moved to put an end to. They are killing our people. You are the President; you are the father for all of us. Osun has said they won’t allow rigging.

— Ademola AdelekeAccusing opponents of violence and urging President Tinubu to intervene.

APC National Secretary Ajibola Bashiru, speaking in Abuja, responded to Adeleke's recent remarks at a campaign rally. Adeleke had accused political opponents of orchestrating violence in Osun and appealed to President Tinubu for intervention, alleging extrajudicial killings and warning against election rigging. "President Bola Tinubu, something is happening in Osun that you have not moved to put an end to. They are killing our people," Adeleke stated, also referencing the political crisis of the old Western Region in 1983.

There won’t be rigging in Osun. Remember what happened in 1983. It started in Yorubaland when they cheated Bola Ige and Michael Ajasin. Osun will not agree. We want a free and fair election. President Tinubu, I am passing this message to you. We have endorsed you; why are they still killing us?

— Ademola AdelekeWarning against election rigging and appealing to President Tinubu.

Bashiru dismissed Adeleke's allegations as unfounded, urging the governor to conduct an issue-based campaign if he believes he deserves a second term. "If Governor Adeleke truly has achievements to present to the people of Osun, he should campaign on them instead of casting aspersions on President Tinubu and leaders of the APC over an election that is still days away," Bashiru commented. He expressed surprise at a sitting governor raising fears of rigging so close to the election.

If Governor Adeleke truly has achievements to present to the people of Osun, he should campaign on them instead of casting aspersions on President Tinubu and leaders of the APC over an election that is still days away.

— Ajibola BashiruResponding to Governor Adeleke's accusations.

The APC scribe suggested that Adeleke's comments stemmed from anxiety over the growing popularity of the APC and its governorship candidate. Bashiru advised the governor to instead provide an account of his administration's performance, pointing to alleged poor road conditions and a significant shortage of teachers in the education sector as areas needing attention. He argued that fixing roads would stimulate economic activity and addressing the teacher shortage would create jobs and improve education quality.

How can a sitting governor be crying about rigging in an election that is still about 11 days away, when in politics even 24 hours is enough to change the dynamics?

— Ajibola BashiruQuestioning Governor Adeleke's premature claims of rigging.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog