Osun State Governor and Accord Party governorship candidate, Ademola Adeleke, has declared that he is not intimidated by the reported support being given to the All Progressives Congress candidate by the Federal Government and some state governors ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
Adeleke made the declaration while speaking during a town hall meeting in Osogbo, where leading candidates in the election discussed their plans and responded to questions on major issues affecting the state.
The governor, who is seeking another term in office, described himself as a “bulldozer” and insisted that the political influence of the Federal Government and the involvement of governors campaigning for his opponent would not determine the outcome of the election...READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE .
According to Adeleke, he remains confident in his political strength and believes that the people of Osun State will ultimately decide who emerges victorious at the polls.
“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,” the governor said.
Adeleke also played down the significance of the governors campaigning for the APC candidate, saying that some of them are personally known to him and that their presence in the state does not automatically translate into votes.
He maintained that governors who visit Osun to campaign can participate in political activities, but they will not be the people casting the ballots on election day.
The governor said he remains on friendly terms with some of the governors supporting his opponent and expressed confidence that political relationships would remain intact after 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.
His comments come as political activities intensify across Osun State ahead of the governorship election. Political parties and their candidates have increased their mobilisation efforts as they seek to convince voters to support their respective campaigns.
The election has attracted significant political attention, with the contest involving several candidates and major political parties. The reported involvement of prominent political figures from outside the state has also added to the intensity of the campaign.
Meanwhile, Adeleke rejected allegations that his administration had militarised Osun State. The governor said he did not have the constitutional authority to deploy the armed forces and therefore could not be responsible for any alleged militarisation of the state.
“I did not militarise Osun. I have no such capacity. I am not the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces,” he stated.
The governor’s comments are coming at a crucial point in the election campaign, with voters preparing to decide whether to retain him in office or elect a new governor.
As the August 15 election draws closer, attention is increasingly focused on the ability of political parties and their supporters to conduct their campaigns peacefully and allow voters to freely make their choice at the ballot box.
With the major contenders intensifying their final mobilisation efforts, the outcome of the Osun governorship election is expected to be closely watched as voters determine the political direction of the state.
