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The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, has told Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke to expect defeat in Saturday’s governorship election, saying his endorsement of President Bola Tinubu would not prevent the All Progressives Congress (APC) from reclaiming the state.
Oyetola spoke on Saturday while addressing APC stakeholders and supporters in Osun State.
The former governor, who lost his re-election bid to Adeleke in the 2022 governorship election, was responding to allegations by the governor that APC members, Accord Party leaders, and supporters were being intimidated ahead of the poll.
Speaking in Yoruba, Oyetola said Adeleke’s complaints showed that the governor was becoming worried about the outcome of the election.
Oyetola said the governor could make as many endorsements as he wanted, but none would prevent the APC from winning the election.
“They realised that they are already losing out. Then they claimed to have endorsed us. He almost cried. Endorsement cannot retain this seat for you. We are taking it over.
“If you like, make 10 endorsements; we will collect this one from you,” he said.
The minister also mocked Adeleke’s repeated references to him, saying he had deliberately avoided engaging the governor in public exchanges.
He said Adeleke appeared to blame him for various personal and political concerns, even though he was not interested in engaging him.
Adeleke is seeking re-election in Saturday’s poll on the platform of the Accord Party and will face APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji and candidates of other political parties.
The election has largely been framed as a close contest between Adeleke and Oyebamiji, with both camps intensifying their campaigns ahead of the poll.
The political atmosphere in Osun has also remained tense, with the two major camps trading allegations of violence, intimidation and the arrest of their supporters.
Adeleke and his campaign team have repeatedly accused the Oyetola-led APC of intimidating Accord members following reported arrests and raids on the homes of some party leaders and senior government officials.
The APC has rejected the allegations and continued its campaign to reclaim the state after losing it to Adeleke in 2022.
Oyetola governed Osun from 2018 to 2022 before losing his re-election bid to Adeleke in a closely contested election. The former rivals are again on opposite sides of the 2026 contest, with Oyetola backing Oyebamiji in the APC’s bid to return to power.
