OSUN DECIDES: Candidates Talk Tough, Unveil Plans for State

BY FRONTLINE REPORTERS

Candidates in Saturday’s Osun governorship election yesterday expressed confidence in their chances of victory, while outlining their plans and priorities for the state if elected.

Speaking separately at the Arise Town Hall Meeting in Osogbo, the candidates included Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Olajide Esan of the African Action Congress (AAC). All four maintained that they would emerge victorious if the election was free and fair.

The town hall featured a panel of seasoned media professionals, including Dr Reuben Abati, Dr Lasisi Olagunju, Dr Festus Adedayo and Adesuwa Omoruan.

Adeleke: “I’m a bulldozer; I’m not afraid of federal might”

Governor Adeleke, who spoke first, dismissed concerns over the support of the Federal Government and some APC governors for Oyebamiji, declaring that he was not intimidated by what he described as “federal might.”

“I am a bulldozer. I am talk and do. I am not afraid of federal might and governors backing the APC candidate. If they like, they should bring all the governors,” Adeleke said.

He described the governors as his friends and argued that their presence in Osun would not determine the outcome of the election.

“Those governors are my friends. I am a civilised administrator. They won’t vote; they can only come and dance, and after the election, we will meet,” he said.

Adeleke also rejected allegations that his administration had militarised the state, saying he lacked the authority to deploy the armed forces.

“I did not militarise Osun. I have no such capacity. I am not the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces,” he said.

The governor hinged his re-election bid on what he described as his administration’s achievements in infrastructure, healthcare, education and agriculture.

He claimed that about 350 kilometres of roads had been constructed, with another 160 kilometres under construction, while several roads abandoned for years had also been completed.

“Our work speaks for itself,” Adeleke said, adding that his administration had sought to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.

On healthcare, he said about 200 health centres had been rehabilitated and equipped with beds, solar lighting and other facilities.

“When I came in, I went around all our health centres. I said this is not acceptable. As of today, we have fixed about 200 healthcare centres,” he said.

Adeleke also said his administration had acquired 31 tractors and distributed seedlings and other agricultural inputs to farmers as part of efforts to boost food production.

He dismissed allegations by the APC that some of the roads constructed by his administration were substandard, describing the claims as propaganda.

The governor also defended his dancing at public events, saying it was merely a hobby that had no effect on his performance in office.

“I am a very prudent person and a very serious person. Nobody will stop me from dancing. As I am dancing, I am working,” he said.

On security, Adeleke said his administration had recruited and trained more than 1,500 personnel for the Amotekun security outfit, adding that the personnel were trained by retired military and police officers before being deployed to their respective local government areas.

He urged voters to remain peaceful, protect their votes and ensure that their ballots were counted throughout the collation process.

“My people, this election is going to be a free and fair election. No violence. When you vote, stay and make sure your vote is counted. Follow your vote from the unit to the collation centre,” he said.

Adeleke also expressed support for state police, saying he had advocated state policing while serving in the Senate and would ensure that the system operated within the law.

On accusations that his administration had concentrated development in his hometown, Ede, the governor rejected the allegation, particularly over the proposed airport project.

“It’s not my fault that my town got blessed with lands. I invited all the experts to go and look for land where they can site the airport. They went around and ended up in Ede,” he said.

Asked whether he would congratulate his opponent if he lost the election, Adeleke was emphatic: “Forget about it. I’m not going to lose this election because I’m so confident.”

Oyebamiji: We will banish hunger and poverty

APC candidate Oyebamiji dismissed allegations that the Federal Government planned to use its influence to secure his victory, saying his campaign across the state had produced no evidence of such a plan.

He said his priority would be the welfare and development of all residents, irrespective of their location.

“Governance is about people. It’s not about segments. It’s not about an area. It’s not about a city. It’s not about a town. It’s the entirety of the state,” he said.

Oyebamiji pledged to prioritise security, human capital development and residents’ welfare, while tackling hunger and poverty through greater investment in agriculture, education and healthcare.

“We want to banish hunger and poverty. I want to invest seriously in agriculture, education and health,” he said.

He said his consultations with party members, community leaders, artisans, lawyers, traders and civil servants had convinced him that Osun residents were ready for a change of government.

“I am convinced beyond reasonable doubt that our people in Osun are ready for a change. I’m coming here as the incoming governor of Osun, come August 15, 2026,” he said.

Oyebamiji challenges Adeleke over state finances

Oyebamiji also challenged Adeleke to explain how his administration had utilised about N650 billion in federal allocations received since assuming office, in addition to the funds he said were inherited from the previous administration.

According to him, Osun received about N450 billion during 12 years of APC administrations under former governors Rauf Aregbesola and Gboyega Oyetola, compared with about N650 billion received during Adeleke’s three-and-a-half years in office.

“How does N650 billion match what we see in Osun today?” he asked.

Oyebamiji further alleged that most of the state’s resources were concentrated in only two local government areas, describing the situation as unacceptable.

He maintained that Oyetola left about N15 billion for the incoming administration, disputing claims that the previous government handed over an empty treasury.

He urged voters not to be influenced by what he described as political narratives intended to create the impression that the Adeleke administration inherited a financially depleted state.

Salaam promises peace, continuity and better governance

ADC candidate Najeem Salaam said his experience in governance, academic background and agricultural expertise positioned him to lead Osun.

“I’m contesting to build on achievements of past governments that did it well and to correct the challenges that we have today,” Salaam said.

He pledged to close identified gaps in governance, promote development and ensure that government remained accountable and people-centred.

Salaam, who holds a doctorate in political science, said his academic training and public administration experience had strengthened his capacity to govern.

He also made security and peace central to his campaign, arguing that Osun residents were tired of political violence and thuggery.

“Osun people do not want thuggery again because they see us as the most peaceful party. They also know the only candidate that can bring peace is Najeem Salaam and the only party that can bring peace is the ADC,” he said.

He alleged that political violence and the proliferation of weapons remained major concerns in the state, promising to restore peace through responsible governance.

Salaam said his 10-point agenda was realistic and achievable, adding that his objective was to build a better future for Osun through human development and policies that directly improve the lives of residents.

Esan: “I’ll give governance back to the people”

AAC candidate Olajide Esan pledged to return governance to the people, arguing that Osun had suffered from a lack of genuine leadership despite its large number of politicians.

He accused political leaders of exploiting poverty and other challenges confronting residents and promised to reverse the trend by giving citizens a greater role in governance.

“Going into my vision, what is important to me is to give governance back to the people, because instead of leaders serving the people in Nigeria, especially in Osun State, it is the people who are serving the leaders,” he said.

Esan proposed the establishment of an Osun Residents Database to provide government with reliable information for planning and service delivery.

He also proposed a financial dashboard through which residents would be able to monitor government expenditure and demand explanations where public funds were allegedly mismanaged.

“Financial dashboard will give Osun people the opportunity to monitor and to track government spending,” he said.

According to Esan, greater transparency and accountability would make governance more responsive and discourage politicians from treating public office as a business venture.

“Accountability is very important. Because the lack of accountability is what is making politics a lucrative business to career politicians,” he said.

He said his proposed reforms would strengthen citizens’ participation, improve transparency and make it more difficult for public officials to pursue personal interests at the expense of the people.

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