Governor Ademola Adeleke has urged residents of Osun State to disregard rumours of election rigging and political intimidation ahead of the forthcoming governorship election, expressing confidence that his camp would secure a decisive victory at the polls.
The governor said attempts by opponents to spread fear and uncertainty among voters would not succeed, insisting that the people of the state were determined to protect the integrity of the electoral process and sustain what he described as good governance.
Speaking against the backdrop of concerns over possible violence and manipulation during the election, Adeleke assured residents that measures were already being put in place to guarantee that citizens vote freely without interference.
According to him, the electorate remained committed to ensuring that every valid vote counted and that no individual or group would be allowed to undermine the democratic rights of the people.
“We shall win convincingly and we shall be declared winner with wide margins,” the governor declared while responding to growing political tension surrounding the poll.
Adeleke maintained that rumours about rigging and threats of violence had instead strengthened the resolve of Osun residents to defend democracy and retain the current administration.
He stressed that the people of the state would resist any attempt to compromise the credibility of the election, noting that both formal and informal structures were already being mobilised to monitor developments before, during and after the exercise.
“No one can deny Osun people their legitimate rights to choose their leaders,” the governor stated.
The governor further warned against any action capable of destabilising the state during the election period, arguing that Osun’s historical and political significance would discourage anti-democratic actions.
Describing Osun as the cradle of the Yoruba nation and the ancestral home of President Bola Tinubu, Adeleke said no security or electoral official would dare ignite crisis in the state through alleged electoral manipulation.
“We will resist any move or ploy to tamper with the electoral process. We are closely monitoring all pre-election activities while machinery has been set for both election and post-election period. We are not taking anything to chance,” he said.
Adeleke also used the opportunity to appeal to politicians across party lines to align with his administration, amid internal divisions within the state’s major opposition party.
The governor described his political movement as inclusive and focused on ending underdevelopment in the state, saying his administration represented a broad coalition of Osun stakeholders beyond partisan interests.
“Our candidature is beyond party lines. Ours is a pan-Osun movement, a rainbow coalition, to ensure the final exit of the state from under-development,” he stated.
He urged politicians and other influential stakeholders to join his political platform ahead of the August 15 governorship election, saying it was better to “abandon a sinking ship” and support what he called a brighter political direction for the state.
