Osun 2026: ZLP governorship candidate vows to confront vote-buying
By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –
The governorship candidate of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) in Osun State, Engr John Adesuyi, has vowed that the party will ruthlessly confront the menace of vote-buying ahead of the August 8, 2026 governorship election in the state.
Adesuyi made the declaration on Saturday while speaking at the official unveiling of his gubernatorial manifesto held at the Osogbo City Hall, where he described vote-buying as a serious threat to credible democracy and an act that undermines the will of the people.
He disclosed that the leadership of the ZLP has concluded plans to deploy grassroots mobilisation, voter education and collaboration with relevant authorities to resist voter inducement and ensure that the electorate freely choose their next governor.
The ZLP candidate expressed confidence in the party’s structure across the state, noting that the party secured votes in all wards of Osun State during the 2022 election.
According to him, “Parties that had more votes than us during the election cannot boast of having those votes across all the local governments. No one voted for us in error because we were the last on the ballot. Those who voted for us were intentional. This justifies that we have structure.”
“We are not going to engage in vote-buying; we would rather fight it head-on. We are starting voter education ahead of the poll to discourage inducement. We will orientate the people of Osun State at the grassroots.”
Adesuyi also pledged to deliver good governance if elected, promising to create 50,000 jobs for youths, support small and medium-scale enterprises, and transform Osun businesses through digital means.
Speaking on the performance of the incumbent administration, he berated the government of Governor Ademola Adeleke over what he described as poor service delivery in the health sector, and alleged failure in agriculture despite the procurement of tractors, noting that food prices had not been reduced.
