Osun 2026: You left a legacy of huge state debt — Adeleke tells Aregbesola

Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has taken a swipe at former Governor Rauf Aregbesola, accusing him of leaving behind a legacy of hardship, debt, and unfulfilled promises. The sharp response followed Aregbesola’s recent remarks suggesting he would work to unseat Adeleke in the 2026 governorship election.

In a statement issued on Monday by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Governor Adeleke described Aregbesola’s tenure as “the worst in Osun’s history,” criticising what he termed “anti-people, thoughtless leadership” that left residents grappling with “inhumane maladministration.”

According to the governor, Aregbesola has no moral standing to threaten his re-election, given the alleged damage done to the state during his eight-year administration.

“The empty boast of Mr Aregbesola about 2026 is a symptom of a troubled mind who sees a false vision, who is at odds with his own political benefactor, and who remains haunted by the suffering he caused Osun people through his destructive policies and programmes,” the statement read.

Governor Adeleke accused the former governor of mishandling public finances and failing to complete critical infrastructure. He listed several grievances, including unpaid salaries, the failed “Opon Imo” digital learning tablet initiative, inflated and abandoned projects, and the mismanagement of pension and cooperative funds.

“The Adeleke administration has so far paid 28 months of the half salaries owed by Mr Aregbesola, settled nearly N60 billion in outstanding pension liabilities, and has been steadily rehabilitating demoralised public servants,” Rasheed added.

The statement further claimed that Adeleke’s government has reduced the state’s debt burden by 40 percent without incurring new loans for infrastructure. It also detailed a wide range of projects delivered under Adeleke’s watch, including the construction of 200 kilometres of roads, renovation of over 200 schools and health centres, and the expansion of access to free health insurance for more than 30,000 pensioners.

Also mentioned were the provision of medical surgeries for over 60,000 residents, the completion of abandoned projects at Osun State University, and the formal establishment of the University of Ilesa.

“If Mr Aregbesola intends to accuse Governor Adeleke of non-performance, he should examine the dual carriageway from the palace to brewery junction in Ilesa which he failed to complete, as well as the ongoing flyover projects in Ile-Ife and Osogbo, and the Iwo dualisation,” the statement continued.

Governor Adeleke’s camp claimed that Osun residents are well aware of the stark contrast between his administration and Aregbesola’s tenure, which, according to the statement, was marked by pensioner deaths, broken livelihoods, and mounting public debt.

“No voter in Osun is prepared to return to those dark days,” the statement asserted.

It concluded with a warning that 2026 would be “payback time” for Aregbesola and his political allies.

“Aregbesola is like a shrew who does not realise he stinks. The people of Osun will respond at the ballot box for the pain they endured under his watch,” it stated.