By Jeleel Olawale
The Osun State chapters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have traded accusations over Governor Ademola Adeleke’s recent remarks at the South-West Stakeholders’ Dialogue held in Akure, Ondo State.
The APC accused Governor Adeleke of indirectly attacking President Bola Tinubu by alleging that Osun State was being marginalised and its local government funds withheld by the Federal Government.
In response, the PDP dismissed the claim as false and mischievous, insisting that the governor never criticised the President.
In a statement signed by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, the Osun APC warned Governor Adeleke to stop blaming President Tinubu for his administration’s shortcomings. Olabisi alleged that the governor has developed a habit of deflecting responsibility, citing the Akure event as a recent example.
According to Olabisi, “It has become the stock-in-trade for the Osun State satellite governor to unjustifiably hold the nation’s President responsible for his inability to perform his statutory duties as governor.”
He claimed that Adeleke accused the Federal Government of violating the Constitution by withholding Osun’s local government funds and sidelining the state in federal matters.
Olabisi further stated that the Tinubu administration deserves credit for many of Adeleke’s recorded successes, highlighting federal investments in Osun’s education and health sectors.
“The Tinubu-led Federal Government has spent no less than ₦10 billion on education and health initiatives in Osun, in addition to TETFUND and UBEC projects worth billions,” he said.
Olabisi also accused the governor of mismanaging state funds, noting that “a governor who compels struggling parents to pay ₦1.5 million per session in state universities and spends ₦13 billion on luxury cars for politicians should not blame anyone for failure.”
However, in a swift rebuttal, the Osun PDP described the APC’s statement as “a pack of lies and deliberate distortion,” maintaining that Governor Adeleke made no negative comments about President Tinubu.
In a counter statement signed by the PDP Director of Media, Hezekiah Oladele Bamiji, the party said Adeleke’s speech in Akure focused solely on strengthening intergovernmental relations and upholding constitutional principles.
“Throughout the governor’s presentation, there was no attack on Mr President. The address only highlighted Osun’s experiences within the framework of federal-state relations,” Bamiji stated.
He added that Governor Adeleke holds President Tinubu in high esteem, describing him as “a respected leader of the Yoruba race deserving of civility and regard.”
The PDP emphasised that Adeleke’s comments were aimed at promoting collaboration between the Federal and State Governments, not at fueling political tension.
“We urge the public to disregard the falsehood being circulated by the opposition,” the statement concluded.
At the Akure summit, where Adeleke was represented by his deputy, Kola Adewusi, the governor had called for the protection of sub-national rights as a means of deepening democratic governance. He stressed that partisan differences should not translate into unfair treatment of any state, advocating cooperation as the foundation for national development.
