Ademola Adeleke says Olagunsoye Oyinlola is working against his re-election, as political tensions intensify ahead of the August 15 Osun poll
Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, accused former governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola of working against his re-election bid during the Arise News Osun 2026 Governorship Town Hall in Osogbo, saying the former governor’s opposition would not determine the outcome of Saturday’s election.
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Adeleke made the allegation while responding to a question about his strained relationship with Oyinlola and whether the former governor’s position could affect his chances of securing another term.
According to Adeleke, Oyinlola has a history of opposing members of the Adeleke family. He cited the former governor’s relationship with his late elder brother and political mentor, Isiaka Adeleke, who served as Osun’s first elected civilian governor.
Adeleke further alleged that Oyinlola worked against him during his earlier attempts to become governor, including his 2018 bid and the 2022 election that eventually brought him to office.
The governor also recounted an encounter with Oyinlola after he assumed office in 2022.
Adeleke said the former governor had approached him and complained that he did not have a car. Adeleke said he responded by buying a vehicle for him, but claimed Oyinlola subsequently aligned himself with opposition forces.
The governor said the former governor’s current opposition was therefore not unexpected.
Adeleke nevertheless played down Oyinlola’s influence on the election, insisting that voters would ultimately determine who governs the state.
He said the “Oyinlola factor” would be inconsequential to the outcome of Saturday’s election.
The comments came against the backdrop of an increasingly competitive race for the Osun governorship, with Adeleke seeking a second term under the Accord Party.
The August 15 election has drawn considerable attention, with the incumbent facing All Progressives Congress candidate Bola Oyebamiji and African Democratic Congress candidate Najeem Salaam among the leading contenders.
Oyinlola’s position has also become part of the political calculations surrounding the election.
The former governor has publicly moved away from supporting Adeleke and endorsed Allied Peoples Movement candidate Adewale Adebayo.
Oyinlola has separately explained his decision not to support Adeleke, with reports indicating that he has criticised the governor’s record and political direction ahead of the poll.
The disagreement is particularly significant because both men have been associated with the Peoples Democratic Party and its political structures in Osun.
Their relationship has also been shaped by earlier divisions within the state’s opposition politics.
Adeleke’s own political journey has included two major governorship contests before the current race.
He lost to the then-incumbent Gboyega Oyetola in the 2018 election before defeating Oyetola in 2022 to become governor.
The 2022 contest itself was marked by divisions within the PDP, with rival primary processes producing competing candidates before Adeleke’s candidacy was recognised for the election.
With only days to the 2026 poll, the latest exchange between Adeleke and Oyinlola adds another layer to the political contest, where endorsements and alliances could influence campaign momentum but cannot substitute for votes at the polling units.
Adeleke has continued to campaign on the record of his administration, pointing to infrastructure, healthcare, workers’ welfare and other areas as reasons voters should give him another term.
At the Arise News town hall, he expressed confidence that his performance would earn him a second term.
The governor’s latest remarks also came on a day when the leading candidates were expected to present their plans for Osun at the televised town hall in Osogbo, placing the dispute over political alliances alongside wider debates about governance, security, jobs, infrastructure and the state’s economy.
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Ultimately, the strength of Oyinlola’s influence, the impact of Adeleke’s record and the effectiveness of the competing campaigns will be tested at the ballot box on August 15.
