Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has taken a swipe at his Osun State counterpart, Ademola Adeleke, during a campaign rally in Osun State on Thursday, August 6, 2026, mocking the governor's penchant for dancing and questioning his commitment to governance. The rally was held to support Bola Oyebamiji, also known as 'Ambo,' the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the upcoming Osun election. Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo was also present at the event.
Okpebholo Mocks Adeleke's Dancing Habit
Addressing a crowd of APC supporters, Okpebholo repeatedly referenced Adeleke's dancing, suggesting it was a sign of poor leadership. He drew laughter as he said: 'Before somebody signs paper, he will dance. Are you not tired? For four years, this man has been dancing. Before he takes breakfast, before he drinks tea, he will dance.'
The Edo governor also claimed Adeleke was frequently absent from governors' meetings in Abuja. 'I was asking my friend and I said, I can't even remember when I saw this man in our general meeting in Abuja. Before he even enters the plane, he will dance. Before he gets there, we are closed. So, he won't know what we are saying. He doesn't know the reality of today,' Okpebholo said.
Comparison with Obaseki
Okpebholo drew a parallel between Adeleke and former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki, who was voted out of office by APC supporters. 'That man is Obaseki's friend. You know we kicked Obaseki out of Edo. So, we have to kick his friend out of this place too. A lot of people 'chopped' Obaseki's money, but they never voted for him,' he said.
Advice on Accord Party Money
The Edo governor also addressed allegations that the Accord Party was distributing cash to voters ahead of the election. Rather than urging supporters to refuse the money, he advised them to take it and still vote for APC. 'If they bring money, 'chop' that money from them, but don't vote for them. They said they have money to spend, is that not so? Just collect the money, keep it in your pocket,' he said.
Campaigning for Oyebamiji, Okpebholo described the APC candidate as the leader Osun needs, promising improved infrastructure including roads and schools. He also complained about the state of Osun's roads, saying: 'The road I was passing, my tyre was shaking. I said, is it the dancing road or the dancing governor's road?'
Call for Change
He rounded off his speech by asking the crowd whether they were ready to vote for change. 'Osun, are we ready to make a change? Are we ready to say bye-bye to dancing?' he asked as supporters cheered.
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.
