Aug 12, 2026

Dele Momodu: Osun Election Is Adeleke Versus Tinubu, Not Just APC

By Afolabi Olaiya Idowu in politics

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Lagos / Osogbo – August 12, 2026 — African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain and publisher Dele Momodu has declared that the forthcoming Osun State governorship election is not a conventional contest between incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke and the All Progressives Congress (APC) but a deeper political battle between Adeleke and President Bola Tinubu.

Momodu made the remarks on Wednesday during an appearance on Channels Television’s *Politics Today*, days ahead of the August 15 poll.

“APC Is No Match for Adeleke”

“The battle in Osun is not a contest between Adeleke and the APC; it is between Adeleke and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Momodu said. “APC is no match for Adeleke in Osun. Everybody agrees on that.

They can make all the noise and all the hullabaloo, but I can tell you today that even the Presidency knows… they know they cannot match Ademola Adeleke.”

He argued that the APC’s efforts in the state amount to little more than noise, while Adeleke’s popularity and performance make him the dominant political force.

Why an ADC Leader Is Backing Adeleke

Despite the ADC fielding Alhaji Najeem Salaam as its candidate, Momodu has openly endorsed Adeleke, who is seeking re-election on the Accord Party platform after leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He explained that he joined the ADC because of its original vision of building a broad opposition coalition. Supporting Adeleke, he said, is consistent with that goal rather than an act of betrayal.

“When I joined ADC, I joined a party that promoted coalition of opposition parties. So, what I am demonstrating now is that opposition must come together,” he stated.

He disclosed that he consulted some ADC elders before making his position public and even appealed to the party to “loan” him to Adeleke for this particular contest.

Momodu also cited a long personal bond with the governor, describing Adeleke as his “twin brother.” Both men were born three days apart in May 1960 — Adeleke on May 13 and Momodu on May 16.

Performance and Political Stakes

Beyond friendship and coalition strategy, Momodu praised Adeleke’s record in infrastructure, health, education, workers’ welfare, agriculture, and youth empowerment, calling him one of the best-performing governors in the country.

He insisted that men and women of good conscience should rise to support the governor against what he described as bullying and intimidation.

The Osun election is widely viewed as an early political test ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Thirteen candidates are on the ballot, but the race is largely seen as a three-way contest involving Adeleke (Accord), Bola Oyebamiji (APC) and Najeem Salaam (ADC).

Momodu’s intervention has added fresh intensity to an already charged campaign, framing the poll as a high-stakes confrontation between a popular incumbent and the full weight of federal power.

As voters prepare to go to the polls on Saturday, his message remains unambiguous: in Osun, the real opponent of Ademola Adeleke is not merely the APC — it is President Bola Tinubu himself.