Osun APC shooting: the party alleges Dele Ayegbo, nephew of campaign chief Wole Oke, was killed in Esa-Oke days before the governorship election
The All Progressives Congress in Osun State has alleged that Dele Ayegbo, nephew of the party’s governorship campaign Director-General, Oluwole Oke, was shot dead in Esa-Oke, Obokun Local Government Area, on Wednesday night, August 12, 2026, just three days before Saturday’s governorship election.
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Osun APC spokesman Kola Olabisi said Ayegbo was attacked near his residence in the Idofin area of Esa-Oke, while another APC member was reportedly shot and taken to hospital for treatment.
The party alleged that the attackers were political hoodlums travelling in a vehicle and accused members of the Accord Party of carrying out the attack.
However, the allegation against the Accord Party has not been independently established, and no police statement confirming the identity of the attackers or motive for the killing was cited in the material supplied by the APC.
Olabisi described the alleged killing as a serious escalation of political violence in the state and called for an immediate investigation.
“The killing of the nephew of our campaign Director-General in Esa-Oke is one death too many which must be urgently unravelled by the police in the interest of fairness and justice,” Olabisi said.
According to the APC, Ayegbo died at the scene of the shooting. The party said the second victim survived but was receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
The allegations come against an already tense political backdrop in Esa-Oke, where a separate killing in June triggered accusations between the APC and the Accord Party.
Ajayi Aderogba, popularly known as Rogba, an Accord Party supporter, was shot dead in Esa-Oke in June during preparations for a political programme.
The incident led to competing allegations, with the Adeleke camp accusing individuals linked to the APC, while Wole Oke and APC members denied involvement and called for an investigation.
The June killing prompted Governor Ademola Adeleke to call for an end to political violence and urge security agencies to investigate the circumstances surrounding several deaths recorded in the state.
The latest allegation involving Ayegbo therefore comes against a backdrop of repeated political violence and mutual accusations between rival camps ahead of the August 15 election.
The APC claimed that more than 30 of its members had been killed in politically related violence since 2022, with 17 of those deaths allegedly recorded in Ijesaland.
Those figures are the party’s own account and were not independently verified in the material reviewed.
Olabisi accused the state government of failing to adequately condemn attacks on APC members and alleged that the violence was intended to frighten opposition supporters away from polling units on Saturday.
“The purpose is to scare away our members and supporters from exercising their civic responsibility on Saturday,” he said.
The allegations also come as security agencies have increased preparations for the election.
NSCDC Commandant-General Abubakar Audi warned on Thursday that anyone attempting to disrupt the electoral process would face decisive action, while instructing officers to remain professional and respect the rules of engagement.
The police have also announced a major deployment for the election, with 15,000 personnel reportedly assigned to Osun alongside senior officers to coordinate the security operation.
The security concerns are particularly significant given the history of political violence in the state in the run-up to Saturday’s contest.
In June, the police announced the arrest of three suspects over an alleged attempt to assassinate Oke, who represents Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives and heads the APC campaign council.
The competing claims over political attacks have made Esa-Oke one of the focal points of concern as Osun prepares for the election.
For now, the circumstances surrounding Ayegbo’s reported death, including the identity and motive of the attackers, require confirmation by law-enforcement authorities.
The latest incident nonetheless adds a grim dimension to an already bitter campaign and places renewed pressure on security agencies to investigate political violence impartially and protect voters, candidates and party supporters.
Also read: NSCDC Chief Warns Osun Election Disruptors of Action
With voting only days away, the priority for political parties and security agencies will be to prevent further bloodshed and ensure that residents can participate in the election without intimidation.
