The National Secretary of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Senator Ajibola Basiru has urged stakeholders to advise Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, and his aides, against incendiary statements coming from the ruling party leaders in the state, which he noted are capable of unsettling the peace in the state.
Basiru expressed grave concern over recent remarks by the governor’s Chief of Staff, Kazeem Akinleye, describing them as reckless and threatening to opposition members ahead of the 2026 governorship election.
He warned that such rhetoric could escalate tensions and spark unnecessary violence.
“Osun people are known for their peaceful disposition and will not succumb to intimidation from a government that has consistently failed to deliver on its promises”, Basiru said, adding: “The intimidating posture of this administration signals a clear fear of electoral judgment, as their incompetence and lackluster performance remain evident to all”.
The statement criticised the Peoples Democratic Party-led administration for allegedly neglecting governance in favour of political strong-arming, noting that, in over two years, the government has failed to implement meaningful youth empowerment programmes or commence the long-anticipated teachers’ recruitment exercise, despite public outcry over staff shortages in public schools.
Basiru warned that no political party holds a monopoly on violence and reminded the current administration that Osun’s citizens would not tolerate a repeat of the pre-election violence that marred the 2022 and 2023 electoral periods.
He called on the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the Department of State Services to urgently summon Akinleye for questioning regarding his inflammatory statement that citizens must either vote for Adeleke or leave the state ahead of the 2026 elections.
“The primary duty of any responsible government is to safeguard the lives and property of its citizens, not instill fear or subject them to intimidation. Osun people will have their say in 2026 and make it abundantly clear that they can distinguish between sincerity and deception”, Basiru further said.
