Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has described the forthcoming August 15 governorship election as a defining moment for the people of the state, insisting that the poll is about defending democracy and protecting the mandate freely given by the electorate.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Adeleke alleged that former Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, and former Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Bola Oyebamiji, had used their influence within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to work against the interests of Osun State following the 2022 governorship election.
The governor claimed that the duo allegedly leveraged their influence at the federal level to punish the people of Osun for electing his administration, adding that such actions had negatively affected workers’ welfare and the livelihoods of residents.
According to Adeleke, the alleged actions were aimed at civil servants, traders, artisans and ordinary citizens across the state.
“On numerous occasions, Oyetola and Oyebamiji have used their influence within the ruling party at the federal level to punish the people of Osun State simply because they chose to vote for us in 2022. Their actions have targeted the welfare of our workers and threatened the livelihoods of our civil servants, traders, artisans, and ordinary citizens,” Adeleke stated.
The governor urged eligible voters to participate massively in the August 15 governorship election, describing the exercise as an opportunity for the people to reaffirm their democratic choice and send a strong message that their votes must always be respected.
He stressed that the election transcends the desire to secure another electoral victory, noting that it represents a broader struggle to preserve the integrity of democracy in Osun State.
“That is why the August 15 election is more than just winning. It is about securing a decisive victory that sends a clear and unmistakable message to the APC: the people of Osun State must always be respected, their democratic choice must be honoured, and no one should ever seek to punish them for exercising their constitutional right to vote,” the governor added.
