The Osun State chapter of the Accord Party has dismissed the endorsement of All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate Bola Oyebamiji by former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola and other Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) figures, saying the development will have no impact on Governor Ademola Adeleke's chances at next Saturday's poll.
Accord Party Chairman Challenges Endorsement
Accord Party chairman in Osun State, Victor Akande, signed and released a statement in Osogbo on Monday in which he challenged the political credibility of those who have backed Oyebamiji's candidacy. Akande named Oyinlola alongside former Secretary to the State Government Fatai Akinbade and former Commissioner for Special Duties Tajudeen Oladipo as politicians who actively worked against Adeleke in both the 2018 and 2022 governorship contests, but failed to prevent his eventual victory.
He said the trio later rejoined Adeleke's camp after the 2022 result and benefited from his administration. Akande asserted: "In 2018 and 2022, they voted and worked against the governor. They failed to stop the governor's victory. After they failed, they rejoined the governor and enjoyed positive treatment from the administration whose emergence they did not support."
Political Credibility Questioned
Akande added that Osun's political grassroots viewed the defectors as "political ingrates and opportunists" and insisted they lacked the local influence needed to shift voter sentiment against the incumbent. He emphasized: "Go to their local governments; they lack the political capital to swing the people against a governor who is widely acknowledged locally and internationally to have positively transformed Osun State."
The Accord Party chairman welcomed the departures, saying the Accord Party remained solidly behind Adeleke and called on Osun residents to intensify grassroots mobilisation ahead of the election.
Oyinlola's Rationale for Backing APC
The endorsement that prompted Akande's response took place on Sunday in Osogbo, where a faction of the Osun PDP led by Oyinlola formally declared support for Oyebamiji. Speaking at the event, Oyinlola said his group's decision to back the APC candidate was driven by what he described as a lack of inclusion in how Adeleke has managed government affairs.
Oyinlola was joined at the event by Akinbade and former PDP National Vice Chairman for the South West, Tajudeen Oladipo. He was, however, clear that the faction was not leaving the PDP but was simply adopting Oyebamiji's candidacy out of "conviction and sincere desire for the progress of the state."
Background and Related Developments
Previously, Legit.ng reported that Afrobeats superstar Davido spoke out after reports emerged that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) allegedly directed restrictions on an Osun State Government account reportedly used for the payment of workers' salaries. The development became a major talking point after documents cited in reports claimed that the account had been placed on a "Post No Debit" status.
As the governorship election approaches, the political landscape in Osun State remains tense, with various endorsements and counter-endorsements shaping the narrative. The Accord Party's dismissal of Oyinlola's endorsement underscores the deep divisions within the PDP and the high stakes of the upcoming poll.
