Adeleke flags off re-election campaign, receives Omisore supporters

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Tuesday flagged off his campaign for the August 15 governorship poll, and received erstwhile members of the All Progressives Congress, who recently dumped their party.

Earlier at the rally held in Osogbo, the state capital, Adeleke was presented with the Accord flag by the national chairman, Maxwell Mgbudem.

Addressing the crowd of party loyalists that attended the rally, Adeleke assured his supporters that the Accord Party will be on the ballot for the state governorship poll.

The governor, who said lawful means were being deployed to uphold the rights to vote and be voted for, urged his supporters to remain courageous in achieving victory at the polls.

“Let me start by assuring you all – Accord will be on the ballot; your votes will count; and I will be re-elected as your governor on August 15th. All lawful means are being deployed to sustain and retain our rights to vote and be voted for. We will not bow to dark forces; we remain courageous, and we shall again be victorious by the special grace of God.

“I charge you to hold your head high. There should be no dull moments. From this assembly for democracy, the light of good governance must continue to spread to all corners of Osun State. Go out to all voting units, mobilise for the Accord. Our party remains a duly registered political party in this country,” Adeleke said.

Commenting on the verdict of the Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, which sacked the chairmen currently running council areas in the state, Adeleke directed the State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, to stop protecting the chairmen.

He also called on the United Bank for Africa to stop dealing with the chairmen and demanded a proper account of the funds made available to the chairmen.

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While reviewing the performance of his administration since coming on board, the governor said his government paid off the inherited half-salary debt, cancelled the pension debt, and rehabilitated schools.

He acknowledged the support of various groups that have endorsed him for another term in office and assured the defectors from other parties of equal opportunities in the Accord Party.

He also rallied support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, but urged the electorate to vote for the Accord Party in the August 15 governorship poll.

Speaking on behalf of the defectors, ex-Osun State Commissioner for Education, Mr Folorunso Oladoyin, announced that the supporters of the ex-APC National Secretary, Iyiola Omisore, have decided to join Accord for Adeleke’s re-election.

Oladoyin also said some erstwhile members of the APC called for Omisore to be presented as the APC governorship candidate, but the suggestion was rejected.

“I want to congratulate you in the name of the supporters of Senator Iyiola Omisore throughout the state.  When Adeleke was alone without our support, he beat our party, the APC, three times.  In 2017, he won 9 of 10 LGAs. In 2018, he won us with 353 votes before we sorted it out. In 2022, he crashed us on the floor, leaving us unable to even stand up, with 28,000 votes.

“We, the supporters of Omisore, decided to join Adeleke for his re-election. In the Bible, David defeated Goliath; it never happened in reality. We told them, but they refuse to listen that Adeleke is a giant that David can’t defeat. We told them they should present Omisore as the party’s candidate, but they didn’t listen; he was disqualified.

“Adeleke will win the election, and we will work for his re-election. Adeleke has done well throughout the state. In Osogbo, Ila, Iwo, Ile-Ife, Ilesa and others. You have done well, you deserve a second term,” Oladoyin said.