The spokesperson for Osun State Governor, Olawale Rasheed, has advised the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to abandon the hope that President Bola Tinubu will help them reclaim power in the 2026 governorship election.
Rasheed made the remarks on Monday while responding to comments made by former Speaker of the Osun House of Assembly, Timothy Owoeye. Owoeye reportedly referred to Governor Ademola Adeleke as a “caretaker governor” during a recent radio interview in Osogbo.
According to Rasheed, the remark was “unacceptable” and unbecoming of a former lawmaker. He insisted that Owoeye should issue a public apology to Governor Adeleke. “The former speaker should do a retraction and publicly apologise. Governor Adeleke was popularly elected by the people, and his election was affirmed by the Supreme Court,” Rasheed stated.
He added that Adeleke’s administration had achieved more in less than two years than the APC-led government did in 12 years, citing the ongoing dualisation of the Palace-Brewery road as an example.
Commenting on the 2026 governorship race, Rasheed said, “The Osun people are enlightened. They’ve seen the difference between the past and present administrations. Federal might won’t save APC. President Tinubu is a democrat, not a vote-rigger.”
In response, Osun APC spokesperson, Mr. Kola Olabisi, defended Owoeye, arguing that the “caretaker governor” comment was misinterpreted. “What he meant was that Adeleke’s tenure would be brought to an end in 2026 through the ballot,” Olabisi clarified.
Olabisi accused the Adeleke administration of being jittery and said Tinubu, as APC’s national leader, would naturally support his party in Osun. “If President Tinubu campaigns for us, that’s not rigging—it’s democratic support,” he added.
As Osun gears up for another high-stakes election, the political temperature continues to rise, setting the stage for a heated contest in 2026.
