The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, has strongly criticized the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, accusing him of persistent blackmail and spreading falsehoods regarding recent violent incidents in the state.
In a press release distributed by his Special Adviser, Dr. Bolaji Akinola, Oyetola urged the governor to stop using deceptive propaganda to evade accountability.
He contended that Governor Adeleke and his loyalists frequently target opposition figures and private individuals with violence, only to baselessly redirect the blame toward the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Oyetola characterized the recent hostile actions against APC members as deeply unfortunate and entirely unacceptable within a democratic framework, emphasizing that political competition should never morph into fear tactics, physical violence, or injuries.
He further alleged that the administration is leveraging local security challenges for political leverage, though he maintained that these strategies will fail to slow the expanding support for the APC ahead of the upcoming gubernatorial election.
To restore order, the Minister called upon the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), and other security apparatuses to uphold the rule of law and safeguard all residents throughout the campaign season, irrespective of their political leanings.
Expressing sympathy for the individuals affected by the unrest, Oyetola reiterated that true democracy requires a foundational commitment to peace, equity, and judicial integrity.
These remarks follow reports of an incident in Owode Ede, Governor Adeleke’s hometown and surrounding areas, where political thugs reportedly associated with the Accord Party attacked APC supporters.
The victims were returning from an awareness rally in Ile Ife organized to drum up support for the APC governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, ahead of the August 15 election.