Osun APC dismisses Adeleke’s allegations against Tinubu, Oyetola

The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed Governor Ademola Adeleke’s allegations of political persecution against President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, describing them as baseless and an attempt to justify an impending electoral defeat.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by the party’s director of media and information, Kola Olabisi, the APC said Adeleke’s claims that the President and Oyetola were responsible for his political challenges ahead of the August 15 governorship election were “misplaced and frivolous”.

The party was reacting to Adeleke’s remarks at a campaign rally in Osogbo on Monday, where the governor accused the President and Oyetola of political persecution, alleged that security agencies had been compromised, and called for a free, fair and credible election.

The APC, however, accused the governor of making unsubstantiated allegations instead of addressing what it described as insecurity and political violence in the state. It also alleged that Adeleke had turned the Government House into a haven for political thugs and questioned the recent granting of amnesty to some convicted offenders.

According to the party, the governor’s repeated claims of persecution reflected his inability to cope with political competition and growing concerns over his chances in the forthcoming governorship poll.

“The allegations of political victimisation against President Tinubu and Oyetola are misplaced and frivolous. They amount to an attempt to justify Governor Adeleke’s imminent defeat in the forthcoming governorship election,” the statement read.

The APC also rejected Adeleke’s suggestion that his endorsement of Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election should shield him from political opposition, insisting that the endorsement was voluntary and had no bearing on the conduct of the governorship election.

The party maintained that if the governor was confident in his performance, he should allow the electorate to determine his fate at the polls, expressing confidence that its governorship candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, would emerge victorious in the August 15 election.