Political tensions intensified in Osun State on Thursday as the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, traded accusations over the screening of Governor Ademola Adeleke ahead of the 2026 governorship election.
Governor Adeleke was screened at the PDP National Secretariat, Legacy House, in Abuja, alongside other aspirants, in a session attended by senior party figures including the South West Vice Chairman, Kamarudeen Ajisafe; Osun PDP Chairman, Sunday Bisi; Secretary to the State Government, Teslim Igbalaye; and Commissioners Dr. B.T. Salami and Rev. Bunmi Jenyo.
Speaking after the closed-door exercise, Adeleke expressed confidence in securing re-election, insisting his administration had delivered “unmatched” performance.
“We have delivered good governance to our people in Osun. Our records and popularity are unrivalled. So we are ready for victory come 2026,” he said.
“We have the full backing of the people. Election is about voters, and we know our people love us. We are confident the will of the people will prevail in the best interest of democracy.”
Adeleke also voiced trust in the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring a credible election process.
However, the Osun APC dismissed the screening as a “face-saving measure,” alleging the governor had earlier attempted unsuccessfully to defect to the opposition party.
In a statement by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, the APC accused Adeleke of running a “shallow and mediocre” government, claiming over ₦60 billion had been spent on the Governor’s Office within 35 months “without recruiting a single teacher.”
The opposition party further alleged arbitrary fee hikes in tertiary institutions and accused the government of defrauding 32,000 citizens “under the guise of teacher recruitment.”
Describing Adeleke’s performance as “misgovernance, misplaced priorities, vengeance, and wastage of resources,” the APC maintained that his re-election bid was doomed.
It also repeated claims — denied by the PDP — that Adeleke sought to defect to the APC.
“Today’s kangaroo screening is a mere smokescreen to save Adeleke from the embarrassment his rejection by the APC generated,” the statement read, adding that the governor had been “loitering around Aso Villa” seeking entry into the party.
The APC asserted that no platform could save Adeleke from defeat, insisting Osun voters had “already screened him out.”
The party declared its readiness to reclaim the state in 2026, boasting of “super-qualified aspirants” capable of defeating the governor.
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