Osun State Governor and Accord Party governorship candidate, Ademola Adeleke, has declared that he is not intimidated by the alleged backing of the Federal Government and some state governors for the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
Adeleke made the statement on Tuesday during the Arise Townhall Meeting, where he described himself as a “bulldozer” and insisted that the political influence of his opponents would not determine the outcome of the election.
The governor said he was prepared to confront what he described as “federal might” and the support being mobilised by governors for the APC candidate.
“I am a bulldozer. I am talk and do. I am not afraid of federal might and governors backing the APC candidate. If they like, they should bring all the governors,” Adeleke said.
According to the governor, the presence of governors campaigning for his opponent would not translate into votes on election day.
He described the governors as his friends and maintained that, while they could travel to Osun to campaign for their party, the final decision would rest with voters in the state.
“Those governors are my friends. I am a civilised administrator. They won’t vote; they can only come and dance, and after the election, we will meet,” he said.
Adeleke’s comments come as political activities intensify across Osun ahead of the Saturday, August 15, 2026 governorship election, with the major parties stepping up their campaigns and mobilisation efforts.
The governor is seeking another term under the Accord Party after leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while the APC is campaigning to take control of the state.
The election has attracted considerable attention, particularly because of the involvement of prominent political figures and the broader contest between the incumbent administration and the opposition.
Adeleke also responded to allegations that his administration had militarised the state. He rejected the claim, arguing that the deployment of the armed forces was beyond his constitutional powers.
“I did not militarise Osun. I have no such capacity. I am not the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces,” Adeleke said.
The governor’s remarks form part of his broader defence of his administration and his campaign for re-election, as candidates make their final appeals to voters before the election.
With just days to the poll, attention is now shifting to voter mobilisation, election-day security and the ability of the competing parties to translate their campaign structures into actual votes.
Adeleke’s assertion that he is not intimidated by the federal and political backing enjoyed by his opponent is expected to further sharpen the contest as Osun voters prepare to decide who will govern the state for the next four years.
