Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has warned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu against any attempt to manipulate the August 15 governorship election in the state, saying election rigging could trigger a political crisis similar to the violence that followed the 1983 governorship election in the old Ondo State.
Speaking on Monday during a campaign rally at Orita-Sabo in Olorunda Local Government Area, Adeleke urged the President to ensure security agencies remained neutral and guaranteed a free, fair and credible election.
The governor accused the President of failing to rein in leaders of the ruling party, alleging that they were fomenting political tension and harassment in the state ahead of the poll.
“Mr President, I want you to take note of my words. I am the Chief Security Officer of Osun. You are a Yoruba man and Osun is Yorubaland, yet your party chieftains are perpetrating political violence while you look the other way,” Adeleke said.
He warned that any attempt to subvert the will of the electorate could have grave consequences.
“All we demand is a free and fair election. If anybody tries to do otherwise, the political crisis of 1983, when some people tried to rig Michael Ajasin out of power in Ondo State, may repeat itself,” he said.
The governor called on the President to direct security agencies to discharge their duties professionally and ensure peace before, during and after the election.
“Mr President, call your people to order. Call the police chiefs to order. I am the governor here, not any other person. You fought for democracy in Nigeria and you must not allow your people to destroy it. Wake up to your responsibility and stop the shenanigans going on in Osun,” he added.
Adeleke also argued that there was no justification for alleged political intimidation, noting that the Accord Party had already endorsed President Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election.
Earlier, the Director-General of the Imole Campaign Council, Senator Lere Oyewumi, urged residents to vote massively for the governor’s re-election, saying his administration’s performance deserved another term.
He also called on voters to remain at polling units and ensure their votes were protected.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official response from the Presidency or the All Progressives Congress to the governor’s allegations.
