JUST IN: Governor Adeleke Reacts as Ganduje Vows To Reclaim Osun, Oyo For APC

• Governor Adeleke condemned Ganduje’s vow to reclaim Osun and Oyo states, calling it undemocratic
• Adeleke accused Ganduje of attempting to create political instability in the South West, undermining support for President Tinubu
• Adeleke stressed that Osun’s political reality is shaped by local factors, not external influence, and vowed resistance to electoral manipulation

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has described the statement made by the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Party, Abdullahi Ganduje, to reclaim Osun and Oyo states as undemocratic.

Recall that Ganduje had vowed to reclaim Osun State for the APC in the 2026 governorship election.

Ganduje's comment came following the APC’s victory in the Ondo State governorship election last Saturday.

Adeleke, in a statement released on Monday, November 16, described Ganduje’s pledge as a direct threat to democracy and called on President Bola Tinubu to caution the former Kano State governor, Vanguard reported.

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Adeleke’s statement, issued through his media aide Olawale Rasheed, accused Ganduje of attempting to stir political tensions in the South West, undermining the peace and unity in the region which has supported President Tinubu.

Adeleke: Ganduje’s remarks are anti-democratic

Governor Adeleke labelled the APC national chairman’s comments as “anti-democratic,” stressing that they went against the democratic values upheld by President Tinubu, The Punch reported.

According to Adeleke, Ganduje’s threat was an attempt to undermine regional stability and sow discord in a region that has shown strong backing for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections.

"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.

The governor went on to explain that electoral dynamics in Osun were shaped by the unique concerns and aspirations of the state’s people, which could not be influenced by external forces or political figures from other regions.

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Adeleke speaks on political dynamics in Kano

Adeleke also pointed to the situation in Kano, where Ganduje’s faction of the APC struggled to secure widespread support despite his tenure as governor.

The governor reminded Ganduje that local political dynamics, like those in Kano, often determined the outcome of elections, citing how the Kwankwasiyya group, led by former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, outperformed Ganduje’s faction in the state.

“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 rhetorically.

The governor emphasized that Osun was a place where political freedom was highly valued, and resistance to any form of electoral manipulation was a long-standing tradition.

Source: Legit.ng