Desperate politicians chose wrong time to join Adeleke, Accord — APC campaign council

…says Governor may escape electoral judgment of residents

The Osun State All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Campaign Council has ridiculed rival politicians who recently defected to the Accord Party, stating they chose the absolute wrong time to align with Governor Ademola Adeleke following a fresh court ruling that effectively derails his re-election bid.

The opposition campaign council described the sudden wave of defections as a desperate and poorly timed gamble.

They noted that these politicians are entering a burning house, as a recent Federal High Court judgment derecognizing the Accord Party leaves the governor in a state of self-induced limbo just months ahead of the August 15, 2026, governorship election.

In a statement signed on Tuesday by Engr Oluremi Omowaiye, the Head of Media and Publicity Committee of the Osun APC Governorship Campaign Council, the APC argued that Governor Adeleke failed to conduct standard due diligence before adopting Accord as his political vehicle.

The court’s decision, which enforces strict Electoral Act 2022 guidelines regarding party registration, leaves Adeleke without a valid platform unless a higher appellate court steps in.

The APC pointed out that the crisis is compounded by an ongoing national leadership tussle within Accord itself. If the courts rule in favor of the opposing faction in that separate dispute, the governor’s nomination would be invalidated regardless.

The council called it laughable that bitter politicians, anxious to prove a political point, have eagerly rushed to join Adeleke in what they described as political perdition and political Siberia.

The campaign council expressed deep disappointment that this sudden legal disqualification might inadvertently allow Governor Adeleke to escape the direct electoral judgment of Osun residents at the ballot box.

According to the APC, a disqualification robs the electorate of the chance to voice their anger and disappointment over four years of administrative failures.

The campaign stated that ordinary citizens were eager to vote on the administration’s record, pointing to families crushed by university tuition fees soaring up to ₦1.5 million at UNIOSUN and UNILESA, as well as patients facing empty shelves and a lack of essential drugs in public hospitals.

The opposition added that the ballot box was supposed to be the ultimate day of reckoning for the abrupt termination of over 1,500 teachers, 500 healthcare workers, and 20,000 O’YES and O’MEAL volunteers whose job losses have worsened economic hardship across the state.

While the governor may avoid the verdict of the voters due to his party’s legal collapse, the APC Campaign Council warned that he and his allies will not escape the long arm of justice.

The campaign vowed that the incoming post-Adeleke era will feature an immediate demand for accountability regarding the state’s finances. Chief among the controversies slated for review is the ₦99.5 billion Ede Airport project, which the APC alleges was awarded to fashion designers and interior decorators.

The administration will also be legally required to account for the alleged diversion of a ₦2 billion federal grant meant for public transport buses, the payment of roughly ₦13.7 billion annually to ghost workers since 2023, and the general mismanagement of over ₦1 trillion in public revenue accrued during their tenure.

The statement concluded with an appeal to the people of Osun to remain peaceful and vigilant as the political terrain shifts rapidly ahead of the August election.