Adeleke challenges APC over alleged billboard attacks ahead of the Osun election, calling for a free and credible poll on August 15
Osogbo, Osun State, Tuesday, August 11, 2026: Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has challenged the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the alleged destruction of his campaign billboards, questioning why the opposition would remove his campaign materials if it was confident of winning Saturday’s governorship election.
Also read:Â Adeleke Accuses Oyinlola of Working Against Re-election
Adeleke made the remarks during the Arise Television Town Hall for Osun governorship candidates, where he also rejected allegations that his administration was responsible for militarising the state ahead of the August 15 poll.
The governor said the alleged attacks on his campaign billboards had produced the opposite of their intended effect, arguing that the incidents had generated greater sympathy for his re-election campaign.
“If you know that you can win, why are you destroying my billboards?” Adeleke asked during the televised discussion.
He said he had instructed his supporters not to retaliate by destroying opposition campaign materials.
“I told my people, don’t destroy their billboards. Leave it. Your governor is a peaceful person,” he said.
Adeleke argued that allowing the alleged destruction to continue would expose the conduct of his political opponents to voters and the wider public.
“The more they hurt us, the more people love us,” he added.
The billboard dispute is not new. In May, Adeleke’s campaign organisation accused APC-linked supporters of vandalising campaign billboards belonging to the governor and the Accord Party across several local government areas in the state.
The allegations included incidents in Irewole, Ayedaade, Ife, Irepodun, Oriade and Osogbo.
The accusations were part of a broader deterioration in the political atmosphere as the election approached, with rival camps trading claims of intimidation, political violence and attempts to influence voters.
Adeleke’s administration has also previously accused the Osun APC of other activities intended to undermine the election, allegations that the opposition has disputed.
In July, the governor alleged that APC agents were attempting to obtain voters’ cards through monetary inducements.
He urged residents to protect their cards and warned against activities that could disenfranchise eligible voters.
The latest town-hall appearance also brought the question of security and alleged militarisation into sharp focus.
Adeleke rejected claims that he had the authority to deploy the Armed Forces for electoral purposes, stressing that such powers belong to the Federal Government.
“Well, I did not militarise. I don’t have that capacity,” Adeleke said.
He added that he was neither the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces nor the Chief of Army Staff or Inspector-General of Police.
The governor’s comments came amid heightened political tension surrounding the election and concerns raised by opposition figures and other stakeholders about the presence and role of security agencies.
Adeleke has previously accused the Osun APC of seeking to exploit federal influence in the election.
In March, he argued that federal power should be used for governance rather than electoral manipulation.
The governor has also defended his administration’s security arrangements, saying regular security meetings and strengthened operations by the Amotekun corps were intended to protect residents and maintain public safety.
The billboard controversy therefore sits within a much wider political contest in Osun, where Adeleke is seeking another term after defeating his predecessor, Adegboyega Oyetola, in the 2022 governorship election.
The 2026 contest has again brought Adeleke and Oyetola into opposing political camps, although Oyetola is no longer the APC candidate.
The election has also featured a number of prominent political figures and competing narratives over the governor’s record in office.
At Tuesday’s town hall, Adeleke defended his administration’s achievements while rejecting allegations including vote-buying and other criticisms directed at his campaign.
Arise Television reported that he maintained that Osun voters, rather than political forces outside the state, would determine the outcome.
The governor’s political camp has received several endorsements during the campaign.
In April, traditional security organisations and ethnic groups publicly backed Adeleke’s re-election bid, describing their support as a reflection of his performance in office.
The APC, however, remains determined to challenge the incumbent and has continued to campaign aggressively across the state.
With voting scheduled for August 15, the final days of the campaign are likely to remain closely watched, particularly because allegations involving campaign vandalism and the conduct of security agencies can have a direct bearing on public confidence in the electoral process.
For Adeleke, the billboard dispute has become another opportunity to present himself as a restrained candidate in a heated contest.
His decision to tell supporters not to retaliate is central to that argument.
The governor’s challenge to the APC is ultimately straightforward: if the opposition is confident of defeating him at the ballot box, he argues, there should be no reason to interfere with his campaign materials.
Also read:Â Adeleke Accuses Oyinlola of Working Against Re-election
As Osun voters prepare to choose their governor, the focus will now turn from campaign claims to whether the election itself can provide the free, fair and credible contest that all sides say they want.
