Osun 2026: Ganduje accused of destabilizing politics in South West
By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Umar Ganduje, has been accused of harboring a hidden agenda to destabilize the South West and create political challenges for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the region.
In a statement issued in Osogbo on Monday, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, the spokesperson for Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, criticized Ganduje’s recent remarks about “hijacking Osun in 2026.”
Rasheed described the APC leader’s comments as undemocratic, divisive, and inconsistent with the political ideals of President Tinubu.
Rasheed said, “As a seasoned politician, one would expect Dr. Ganduje to understand that electoral contests are influenced by local dynamics. The factors that define the political landscape in Edo or Ondo are vastly different from those in Osun State.”
He cited Ganduje’s failure to secure victory for his party in the Kano State governorship race as an example, noting that “local peculiarities dictated the triumph of the Kwankwasiyya group over the Ganduje faction, despite his eight years in office.”
Rasheed added, “If Ganduje’s politics was rejected in his home state, why does he think Osun, which overwhelmingly supported Governor Adeleke, would tolerate any attempt to undermine the will of the people in 2026?”
The spokesperson emphasized Osun’s historical commitment to political freedom and resistance to electoral malpractice, describing the state as the cradle of Yoruba democracy. He accused Ganduje of being “a threat to democracy and an insider enemy of President Tinubu.”
“If Dr. Ganduje truly supports Mr. President, why is he attempting to destabilize the South West through open threats to violate electoral laws? His remarks undermine the consensus among Yoruba people, who largely support President Tinubu regardless of political affiliations,” Rasheed said.
He continued, “If Ganduje’s statements are borne out of ignorance, he is advised to study Osun’s political landscape to better understand its dynamics. What works in Edo or Ondo cannot be applied here due to Osun’s unique political realities.”
Rasheed also highlighted the growing strength of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun, which he described as a “mass movement” that continues to attract defectors from opposition parties.
“The PDP in Osun is deeply rooted and cannot be overrun by a party chairman who failed in his own state and who does not have the mandate of Mr. President to instigate conflict in the South West. Governor Adeleke remains an extraordinarily popular leader whose mandate, now or in 2026, cannot be hijacked by anti-democratic forces,” Rasheed concluded.
