Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has declared that he would still win the state’s governorship election even if he contested as an independent candidate without the backing of any political party.
Adeleke, who is seeking to retain his seat on the platform of the Accord Party, said his confidence was rooted in what he described as his relationship with the Osun electorate and the performance of his administration.
Speaking during the ARISE NEWS Town Hall Meeting in Osun State, the governor made the assertion while explaining his decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the platform on which he was elected governor.
He said Nigeria’s electoral system currently made political parties indispensable to candidates but expressed hope that the country would eventually embrace independent candidacy.
“Assuming the way they do it in America, that you can come out and be an independent candidate. I’m looking towards that, that one day, Nigeria, our democracy will go to that,” Adeleke said.
He added: “I can assure you, if we have an independent candidate [who] can come out, if I come out as an independent candidate, I will see a win.”
Adeleke maintained that his departure from the PDP was not borne out of disloyalty to the opposition party, acknowledging that it provided the platforms on which he became a senator and subsequently governor.
“I love PDP. PDP has given me the chance to become a senator and a governor,” he said.
The governor, however, said persistent internal disputes within the PDP and uncertainty surrounding the party’s affairs compelled him to reconsider his political future ahead of the governorship election.
“When I see that things are going bad, every day fighting, closing doors, I have to think twice,” he said.
According to him, the decision to move to the Accord Party followed consultations with political stakeholders and was not taken unilaterally.
Adeleke also rejected suggestions that he abandoned the PDP because he was unable to secure its governorship ticket, maintaining that the prolonged internal crisis created uncertainty over whether the party could provide a viable platform for his re-election.
Beyond party affiliation, the governor argued that his administration’s record in office would be an important factor in the election, citing investments in roads, healthcare, agriculture, education and security.
He said his administration had completed more than 350 kilometres of roads across Osun State, while another 160 kilometres were under construction.
Adeleke also said about 200 healthcare centres had been rehabilitated under his administration.
Responding to allegations by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that some roads constructed by his government were substandard, Adeleke rejected the claims, saying qualified engineers had assessed and certified the projects.
“Why would I come and do substandard? Are you a certified engineer? Are you an engineer?” he asked.
On security, the governor said his administration had strengthened the Amotekun security outfit through the recruitment of more than 1,500 personnel deployed across local government areas.
He also denied responsibility for the increased presence of security personnel across Osun ahead of the election, stressing that control of the nation’s armed forces did not rest with a state governor.
“I did not militarise. I don’t have that capacity. I am not the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces,” Adeleke said.
The governor accused some political actors of deploying intimidation and federal influence ahead of the poll but urged his supporters to remain peaceful.
Despite the political contest surrounding the election and his change of party, Adeleke maintained that political platforms would not ultimately determine the winner.
“It is the people,” he said, expressing confidence that Osun voters would decide the election on the strength of the candidates and their records.
Boluwatife Enome
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