Osun governor Ademola Adeleke has dismissed concerns over facing the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2026 governorship election, saying he has already defeated “federal might” once and is confident of doing so again.
Adeleke spoke on Wednesday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
He said his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Accord Party was motivated by the need to protect his safety and ensure stability in Osun.
He said he still holds the PDP in high regard but chose a platform that would guarantee continuity of his administration’s programmes.
He said: “It’s not true that I abandoned PDP. I love PDP, but I have to protect myself. I have to make sure I protect my state because of the good work we’ve been doing so that we can continue.”
Adeleke secured the Accord Party governorship ticket on Wednesday, one day after formally joining the party.
He will face candidates from the APC, PDP and a coalition in the African Democratic Party in what is expected to be a competitive 2026 contest.
Adeleke said he is confident that voters will judge candidates based on performance, not party labels.
He said: “Osun people are wiser. They know the difference between good governance and bad governance, and they have decided to toe the Imole path; it is me they are talking about. We are not even talking about parties right now; the party is just the platform.”
He argued that his record in office gives him an advantage over his predecessors, saying unpaid salaries and hardship defined previous administrations.
He added: “I came in, I brought hope, I brought light to Osun State. So, my records, first of all, will speak for themselves.”
Speaking on fears that the ruling APC might deploy federal influence against him, Adeleke dismissed the idea, saying, “I beat federal might before and I’ll do it again.”
He said President Bola Tinubu won elections despite being in the opposition and he too had prevailed under similar circumstances.
He said: “Well, I believe our president is a democrat. He’s been in this position before. When he was in opposition, I learned a lot from him, too. He stood his ground, despite the fact that he was in opposition, and he still won. So why can’t I do that? I was in the opposition when I won last time, and it’s not going to be different.”
Adeleke said the electorate would determine the outcome of the 2026 poll, adding that he is assured of victory because of his track record and the people’s desire for continuity.
The article was originally published on Politics Nigeria.