Osun Violence Erupts: Adeleke Blames APC Thugs as Election Tensions Boil
Osogbo, Osun State—In a sharp escalation of political hostilities barely two months before Osun State’s crucial governorship election, Governor Ademola Adeleke has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of sponsoring coordinated attacks by political thugs across key communities, triggering panic, sporadic gunfire, and injuries among residents.
Addressing journalists in Osogbo on Tuesday and in a widely circulated statement on his X handle, the governor condemned what he described as deliberate destabilizing actions in Ile-Ife, Ede, Osogbo, and surrounding areas. He pointed fingers at supporters linked to the APC’s governorship candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, and former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, now the Minister of marine and Blue Economy.
“No political ambition should come at the cost of the lives and well-being of innocent citizens,” Adeleke declared, visibly emotional in video footage where he lamented the lack of cooperation from the state commissioner of Police. “I have been calming my people despite persistent attacks.”
Eyewitness accounts and local reports describe gunshots ringing out during an APC campaign walk in Ile-Ife, followed by further disturbances in Ede and multiple points across the Osogbo metropolis, including Aregbesola Area, Olaiya, Old Garage, and Oke Fia. Assailants reportedly moved in vehicles branded with APC campaign materials, firing sporadically and injuring several people who were later hospitalized.
The governor urged residents to remain calm to avoid any pretext for a state of emergency, while calling on federal authorities—including President Bola Tinubu, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu, the Department of State Services (DSS), and other agencies—to intervene swiftly and restore order.
This latest flare-up fits into a broader cycle of tit-for-tat allegations that has intensified as the August 15, 2026, governorship poll approaches. Adeleke’s camp and the Accord Party (on whose platform he is seeking re-election) have repeatedly accused APC elements of vandalizing billboards, attacking campaign offices, and deploying known thugs like Asiri Eniba.
Conversely, the Osun APC has dismissed the claims as diversionary tactics, accusing Adeleke’s administration of its own security lapses, misuse of Amotekun operatives for private purposes, and even alleged plans to arm supporters—charges the governor has firmly denied.
As a veteran journalist who has covered Nigerian politics for decades, one observes that such pre-election violence is distressingly familiar. It reflects not just personal rivalries but deeper frustrations: a populace tired of insecurity, economic hardship, and the weaponization of thugs in the struggle for power. The involvement of high-profile figures like Oyetola adds a layer of federal-state tension that could have national reverberations.
While Adeleke’s frustration with local security agencies is palpable, critics question whether both sides are fully committed to de-escalation or simply positioning themselves ahead of the polls. The APC, for its part, has called on Adeleke to restrain his own supporters and warned against plunging the state into deeper crisis.
For Governor Adeleke, a former senator known for his energetic style and dance-floor charisma, the challenge is to translate public sympathy into concrete security gains without alienating federal partners.
For the APC, reclaiming Osun—lost in 2022—requires convincing voters that their candidate Oyebamiji, a seasoned banker and administrator, offers a better path than the incumbent’s “Imole” (Light) agenda.
As tensions simmer, the onus lies on President Tinubu and security chiefs to act decisively. Nigeria cannot afford another state sliding into pre-election anarchy.
True leadership demands cooling tempers, ensuring impartial policing, and letting the people’s will prevail at the ballot box—not through bullets.
This story remains fluid. Official investigations are ongoing, and further statements from the APC and federal authorities are expected.
Residents of Osun, long praised for their resilience and political sophistication, deserve peace and a contest of ideas, not arms.
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