Osun: APC, Accord trade words over governorship election

The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Accord Party have traded words over governance and political prospects ahead of the 2026 governorship election in the state.

In a statement issued on Sunday Tajudeen Lawal, its state chairman, the APC accused Governor Ademola Adeleke and his allies of launching frivolous attacks on former governor and current Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, and the party’s governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji.

Lawal, who said the criticisms were driven by the ruling party’s disadvantaged position in the political calculation of the state, added that such attacks would not prevent defeat at the polls in 2026.

Lawal alleged that the Adeleke administration had failed across key sectors, including health, education, security and infrastructure, and accused the governor of running government without proper planning.

“It is neither Oyetola nor Oyebamiji that is responsible for the ill-fated status of this administration,” he said.

The opposition party claimed that the state government had mismanaged public funds and questioned the impact of its spending over the last three years and also accused the administration of misleading the public over delays in local government allocations.

According to the APC, the delay in payments to local councils followed a Court of Appeal judgment delivered on February 10, 2025, reinstating APC local government officials, which it said had not been appealed.

The party alleged that, “the state government had instead instituted multiple court cases to frustrate the process.

“We are going into the August 8, 2026 governorship election to win with the votes of the good people of the state and restore its lost glory.”

Reacting a day later, the Osun State chapter of the Accord Party dismissed the APC statement as a sign of panic and frustration, accusing the opposition party of misrepresenting recent developments in the state.

In a statement signed by its state chairman, Pastor Victor Akande, the Accord described the APC’s comments as intellectually bankrupt and said they reflected fear of losing relevance in Osun politics.

Akande argued that Osun had witnessed a turnaround under Governor Adeleke, citing what he described as improvements in road construction, public infrastructure and workers’ welfare.

“Governor Adeleke has prioritised workers’ welfare and restored consistency in salary payments,” he said.

Accord also defended the administration’s record in health and security, claiming that facilities had been upgraded and collaboration with security agencies strengthened, leading to improved stability across the state.

The party rejected APC’s criticism of the government’s financial management, insisting that the current administration was addressing challenges inherited from previous governments.

Akande further accused the APC of “presiding over hardship during its time in office, particularly pointing to the era of half-salary payments to workers, which he said Osun residents had not forgotten.”

Maintaining that the electorate would not return the APC to power in 2026, he added, “Osun will not relapse. The people will not return to their abusers.”