Dele Momodu backs Adeleke ahead of Osun’s August 15 election, urging opposition parties to unite behind the governor and protect the vote
African Democratic Congress chieftain Dele Momodu on Tuesday, 11 August 2026, endorsed Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke for a second term ahead of the 15 August governorship election, urging opposition parties to set aside their differences and support the Accord Party candidate.
Also read: Osun Poll: Adeleke, APC Clash Amid Alarming Vote Claims
The endorsement places the veteran journalist and former presidential aspirant behind Adeleke just days before voters in Osun head to the polls, despite Momodu’s continued membership of the ADC.
Momodu said his decision was driven by what he described as the political circumstances surrounding the election and the need for opposition forces to prevent the All Progressives Congress from gaining an advantage.
“I joined ADC on the basis that prominent members of opposition parties in Nigeria decided to form a broad coalition of forces against the APC cankerworm,” he said.
Momodu acknowledged that the wider opposition coalition he had hoped for had not developed as originally envisaged.
He nevertheless said he had not abandoned the broader objective of mobilising Nigerians against the APC.
He argued that Osun now required opposition parties to rally around a single candidate rather than divide their support.
“It would be foolhardy not to see that with the manner APC has turned Osun State into a theater of war, the only sensible strategy is for all opposition parties to align immediately and back the Accord Party candidate, Governor Ademola Adeleke,” Momodu said.
He described the endorsement as an unequivocal decision, while stressing that he remained a “proud member” of the ADC.
Momodu also offered a strong assessment of Adeleke’s record in office, praising what he described as achievements in infrastructure, healthcare, education, workers’ welfare, agriculture, commerce, culture and youth development.
He called Adeleke a “global phenomenon” and argued that the governor’s popularity would make him a formidable opponent even in a wider political contest.
The endorsement comes against a backdrop of broader political realignment in Osun ahead of the 15 August election.
Adeleke is contesting under the Accord Party after adopting the platform for his re-election bid, while opposition parties and political groups have continued to position themselves around the contest.
The development is also notable because support for Adeleke has extended beyond his immediate party structure.
In July, the chairmen of Accord Party across 27 states passed a vote of confidence in the governor and pledged to mobilise support for his re-election.
The Osun chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has likewise adopted Adeleke as its preferred candidate for the election, directing its structures to support his return under the Accord platform.
At the same time, the contest remains politically competitive. The APC’s Asiwaju Munirudeen Oyebamiji is challenging Adeleke, while other political and civic groups have publicly expressed differing positions ahead of the vote.
Momodu’s intervention therefore adds another layer to an increasingly fluid campaign, particularly as the election approaches and opposition figures weigh party loyalty against their assessment of the wider political stakes.
His most pointed warning concerned the conduct of the election itself.
Momodu urged opposition parties not to become divided in a way that could, in his view, create an opening for electoral malpractice.
“We should never supply the APC an easy alibi to rig the Osun gubernatorial election on August 15, 2026,” he said.
The allegation of possible rigging reflects a wider concern already present in the campaign, where rival political camps have traded accusations and called for closer scrutiny of the electoral process.
Civil society groups have also raised concerns about issues including voter inducement and the credibility of the poll.
For Momodu, however, the immediate priority appears to be unity among opposition voters rather than strict adherence to party lines.
His decision to publicly support Adeleke while remaining an ADC member highlights the unusual political alliances emerging in Osun as the election enters its final days.
Whether that cross-party endorsement translates into votes will ultimately be decided at the ballot box on 15 August.
Also read: Osun Poll: Adeleke, APC Clash Amid Alarming Vote Claims
For now, Momodu’s intervention gives Adeleke another prominent voice of support while reinforcing the broader opposition realignment around the incumbent governor.
