Adeleke Flags Off Re-election Campaign as Omisore’s Loyalists Align Structure with His Second-Term Bid

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has officially commenced his re-election campaign with a massive political rally at Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo, where thousands of supporters, political leaders, labour unions, market associations, youths and women groups gathered to endorse his bid for a second term.

The campaign flag-off, held on Tuesday in the Osun State capital, marked the beginning of activities ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

The event also witnessed the declaration of support by loyalists of former Osun State Deputy Governor and former National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Iyiola Omisore, who announced their decision to collapse their political structure into Governor Adeleke’s re-election campaign.

Addressing the crowd, Adeleke reaffirmed his commitment to delivering more dividends of democracy if given another mandate by the people of Osun State.

The governor also declared that the state’s support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remained firm, endorsing the President for a second term in 2027.

“As we seek your votes on August 15th, we also restate our endorsement of our son, father and leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for re-election in 2027. Our support for Mr President is unshaken and total,” Adeleke said.

Adeleke assured members of the Accord Party and his supporters that the party would participate in the forthcoming governorship election despite the recent Federal High Court judgment affecting some political parties.

He urged supporters to remain peaceful throughout the electioneering period, warning against actions capable of creating tension or violence.

“Go out to all voting units, mobilise for Accord. Our party remains a duly registered political party in this country. Rule of law must prevail. Democracy must survive,” he said.

The governor also congratulated Osun residents on what he described as a victory in the local government crisis, commending the patience of elected chairmen and councillors.

“I commend the patience of our authentic chairmen and councillors. We have deployed democratic tools to flush out impostors in our council secretariats,” he stated.

Adeleke further called on the Commissioner of Police to withdraw protection from what he described as illegal occupants of local government secretariats, while demanding accountability over council funds allegedly diverted under previous arrangements.

He also appealed to United Bank for Africa (UBA) to end what he described as an “unholy alliance” with removed APC council chairmen, insisting that all diverted local government funds must be accounted for.

The governor said his second-term campaign would be anchored on an updated five-point agenda, including youth, women and workers’ welfare; infrastructure consolidation; agro-industrial expansion; improved healthcare and education opportunities; and a better business environment for job creation.

“I promise faithful implementation of the agenda after our victory on August 15th,” Adeleke said.

Speaking on behalf of defectors from the APC and supporters of Senator Iyiola Omisore across Osun State, Hon. Folorunso Bamisaye declared support for Adeleke’s re-election bid.

Bamisaye said they had assessed the political situation in the state and concluded that Adeleke remained the candidate with the strongest support base ahead of the election.

“I want to congratulate Governor Ademola Adeleke on behalf of the supporters of Senator Iyiola Omisore throughout Osun State. We have decided to join the governor and work for his re-election because of his outstanding performance and widespread acceptance among the people,” he said.

He added that Adeleke’s political strength had grown over the years, recalling his performances in previous elections.

“When Adeleke stood almost alone, he defeated our party on several occasions. In 2017, he won nine local governments out of ten in the Osun West Senatorial election.

In 2018, he came very close in the governorship election. In 2022, he defeated the APC decisively with a margin of over 28,000 votes,” Bamisaye stated.