…Our people not getting value for N16bn FAAC allocations – AMBO

…Council of Alfas alleges marginalisation,  endorses Oyebamiji

The national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Tuesday asked Osun state Governor Ademola Adeleke to stop casting aspersions on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other leaders of the party ahead of the August 15, 2026 governorship election.

Addressing party supporters during a campaign rally at Orita-Sabo in Olorundalocal government area of the state on Monday, the governor had alleged that extrajudicial killings were occurring in the state and urged President Tinubu not to turn a blind eye to the development

Adeleke threatened a repeat of the 1983 political crisis would be visited on Osun state should he lose the August 15 governorship election.

What Adeleke said

 “Mr President, I want you to take note of my words, I’m the Chief Security officer of Osun, you are a Yoruba man and Osun is Yorubaland, yet, your party chieftains are perpetrating political violence while you look the other way.

“Mr President, all I demand for is a free and fair election, if anybody try to do otherwise, the political crisis of 1983, when some people tried to rig Michael Ajasin in Ondo State out of power, may repeat itself again.

“Mr President call your people to order, call police chiefs to order, I am the governor here, not any other person. Accord has already endorsed you as it candidate, why are suffering again,” said the Accord Party governorship candidate.

APC counters

But speaking with newsmen in Abuja,   National Secretary of the APC, Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, dismissed Adeleke’s claims, asking him to run an issue-based campaign if he truly has what it takes to earn him a second term.

Bashiru said the governor’s outburst “was born out fear of imminent defeat or how can a sitting governor be crying over rigging in an election that is coming up in eleven days from now when in pilots 24 hours is enough to change things.”

He stated that in infrastructure, over 20 roads in Osun were dilapidated while in social services like education, there is about 30,000 teachers’ deficit.

Bashiru added that if such roads had been fixed, they would have boosted the economy of the state and if teachers’ deficit was addressed, employment would have been created while adding value to the educational sector.

He  told Adeleke and his faction of the Accord Party that merely endorsing Tinubu’s re-election is not a guarantee for the governor’s second term as he must face his political woes squarely.

Bashiru insisted that the growing popularity of APC and its governorship candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO), as evident at the large turnouts during rallies, is a nightmare for Adeleke who resort to cheap blackmail to gain political sympathy.

 …Oyebamiji on FAAC

In a related development, the APC governorship candidate, Asiwaju Oyebamiji, has said the state is not getting value for money from the N16 billion monthly Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations accruing to it.

To correct the trend, he promised to, among others, launch pilot off-grid renewable energy projects in selected public institutions and rural communities, and conduct a comprehensive fiscal sustainability review covering state revenue, expenditure, and debt obligations in the first 100 days of his administration, if elected.

“To properly situate why Osun deserves a better deal at this time, the last allocation received by the APC administration of Governor Gboyega Oyetola from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) stood at approximately N2.6 billion.

“Today, the average monthly allocation to the state is about N16 billion without commensurate values to the state and her citizens. In fact, few of the infrastructure projects delivered by the current administration were awarded in secrecy to incompetent contractors while many of such projects have failed before commissioning.

“To arrest the current drift in the state, I therefore seek your support as we approach the August 15, 2026, governorship election in Osun State,” Oyebamiji said this Monday at a media parley with some senior journalists in Lagos.

On what he seeks to achieve in his first 100 days in office, the APC standard bearer said “in line with our campaign promises, within our first one hundred days in office, we will undertake a comprehensive review of all outstanding entitlements owed to active and retired workers and commence immediate payment.

“We are equally committed to ensuring that the Dagbolu Dry Port becomes fully operational. In addition to these, through strategic partnerships, we will commence the training and empowerment of not fewer than 10,000 young people in information and communication technology.

“We will also institutionalise monthly meetings of the State Security Council involving security agencies, traditional rulers, and local government leaders. Furthermore, we will launch pilot off-grid renewable energy projects in selected public institutions and rural communities. Similarly, we will conduct a comprehensive fiscal sustainability review covering state revenue, expenditure, and debt obligations.

“We will also undertake a state-wide infrastructure audit to identify priority economic roads and other critical infrastructure needs. These, among others, are the initiatives that we consider essential within our first one hundred days in office.”

On the reign of violence preceding the poll, Oyebamiji, who was at different times the commissioner for finance under both the Oyetola and Aregbesola administrations in the state, as Managing Director Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), claimed the Governor Ademola Adeleke administration was behind it.

He said: “…both the APC and I have been victims of the persistent political violence in Osun State. During the 2022 governorship election, more than twenty-five members of our party were allegedly murdered by members of the political party in power in Osun.

“In my own local government area for example, the Chairman of Irewole Local Government, Hon Remi Abass, was killed within the council secretariat. Our party has also documented several other politically motivated attacks and killings, for which we continue to seek justice through the courts.

“Therefore, the ongoing political violence in the state has all the signs of the government in power on it. Just recently, the Inspector-General of Police visited Osun State and publicly raised allegations concerning individuals accused of criminal activities being housed within the Government House.

“Reports also emerged a few days ago concerning the arrest of a suspected criminal within the private residence of the Secretary to the State Government in Osogbo. Furthermore, reports from last night indicated that some of our members were attacked in Ede, the hometown of Governor Ademola Adeleke.” 

 …League of Alfas endorses Oyebamiji

 Meanwhile, the Concerned Muslim Stakeholders and League of Alfas in Osun state have decried what they termed “heavy skew” of Muslims in government representation, and therefore declared support for Oyebamiji.

They alleged marginalisation of Muslim community in political appointments and the distribution of democratic dividends by the government of Governor Ademola Adeleke.

Speaking at a press conference in Osogbo, Tuesday, president of the group, Sheikh Qozeem AbdulRahman, and Secretary-General, Malam Abdulganiy Sahid, alleged that key political and administrative positions have disproportionately favoured Christians and individuals from the governor’s hometown of Ede.

“Beyond infrastructure, representation matters in every democratic government. While appointments are naturally at the discretion of the governor, many Muslims have expressed concern about what they perceive as an imbalance in key political and administrative positions,” the leaders stated.

According to the coalition, out of the state’s 24 commissioners, 17 are Christians while only 7 are Muslims, pointing out that the top leadership positions including the Governor, Deputy Governor, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Deputy Speaker, Majority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader, and Chief Whip, are all occupied by Christians, fuelling  a strong sense of exclusion among Muslim

The group dismissed claims by the Adeleke administration that it had prioritised the Muslim community more than any of his predecessors, calling such assertions inconsistent with verifiable realities. 

They described the upcoming August 15 governorship election as a crucial test of justice, equity, fairness, and the future of Muslims in the state.

Highlighting the upcoming poll, the coalition drew attention to the candidacy of Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO), whom they described as a respected Muslim native of Osun seeking the mandate to govern.

Noting that faith remains an important consideration for those seeking equitable representation, the group said, “We are not asking Muslims to support him merely because he is a Muslim. Rather, we urge every voter to consider his character, competence, experience, leadership qualities, and vision for Osun State.”

The leadership called on all Muslims across the state, including Imams, scholars, professionals, traders, youths, and students, to participate peacefully in the electoral process and vote according to their conscience, urging them to look past political narratives they consider misleading.

The stakeholders commended the Nigeria Police Force and other sister security agencies for maintaining law and order ahead of the coming election. 

They urged security operatives to intensify efforts to protect lives and property without yielding to political interference or propaganda.

They, however, appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and all stakeholders to ensure that the August 15 election is peaceful, credible, transparent, and reflective of the genuine will of the Osun electorate.