Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has described the National President of the All Progressives Congress, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, as a threat to democracy, urging President Bola Tinubu to caution the former Kano State governor.
In a statement issued on Monday and signed by his media aide, Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke responded to Dr Umar Ganduje’s pledge to seize Osun in 2026, made in reaction to the APC’s victory in last Saturday’s Ondo State governorship election.
Adeleke accused Ganduje of being discontent with the South West’s peace and unity behind President Tinubu and of attempting to stoke regional political tensions to undermine the president’s position ahead of the 2027 elections.
Describing Ganduje’s comments as anti-democratic, the Osun Governor said the APC national chairman’s stance was at odds with Tinubu’s democratic values.
“As a seasoned politician, one would have expected Dr Ganduje to understand that electoral outcomes are influenced by local factors. What applies in Edo and Ondo is not necessarily reflective of political realities in Osun State.
Voter behaviour is shaped by local grievances and interests, not by external impositions,” Adeleke said.
He pointed out that in Kano, local dynamics ensured the continued success of the Kwankwasiyya group, which outperformed Ganduje’s faction despite his eight years in office.
“If Ganduje failed in his own state due to internal resistance, why does he think the people of Osun, who endorsed Governor Adeleke, will allow their will to be disregarded in 2026?” Adeleke asked. “Osun is the heart of the Yoruba people, where political freedom is deeply valued, and resistance to electoral fraud is a tradition.”
Adeleke concluded by accusing Ganduje of being an insider threat to President Tinubu’s leadership. “If Ganduje truly supports the president, why is he trying to destabilise the president’s home zone with open threats to violate electoral law and deny citizens their rights to vote?”
He further invited Ganduje to study Osun’s political dynamics, warning that what works in Edo and Ondo would not succeed in Osun for various reasons.
Adeleke also mentioned that many opposition members had recently defected to the ruling party, strengthening the PDP’s position in Osun, and stated that Ganduje did not have the mandate from President Tinubu to ignite conflicts in the South West.