Osun Election Loss Was Tinubu’s, Not APC’s – Dele Momodu

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dele Momodu, has described Governor Ademola Adeleke’s victory in the Osun State governorship election as a political setback for President Bola Tinubu rather than simply a defeat for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Momodu, who supported Adeleke ahead of the election, argued that the contest was largely a test of Adeleke’s popularity against the influence of the President.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, the ADC chieftain said the outcome should serve as a warning to the APC as the country approaches the 2027 general election.

According to Momodu, APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji and former Osun governor Gboyega Oyetola relied heavily on Tinubu’s political influence during their campaign.

He argued that the election demonstrated that voters could choose candidates based on their personal connection with the people, regardless of their relationship with the President.

Momodu: Adeleke Is a Grassroots Politician

Momodu attributed Adeleke’s victory largely to the governor’s strong grassroots presence and relationship with voters across Osun State.

He said he had closely followed Adeleke’s political career and was not surprised by the governor’s performance at the polls.

“It was obvious that this man is a grassroots man, very down to earth, loves his people,” Momodu said.

He also pointed to projects executed across different parts of the state as one of the factors that strengthened Adeleke’s connection with voters.

According to him, the governor ensured that major projects were distributed across different parts of Osun, helping to reinforce his popularity at the grassroots.

Davido’s Social Media Role

Momodu also credited Afrobeats star Davido, Adeleke’s nephew, for his role in keeping voters informed through social media during the election.

He said Davido’s regular updates helped increase public awareness and may have contributed to the governor’s success.

The ADC chieftain further alleged that there were attempts to interfere with the collation of results, though he did not provide evidence for the claim.

Adeleke Defeats APC Challenger

The Osun governorship election was held on Saturday, August 15.

Adeleke, who contested under the Accord Party, emerged victorious with 511,067 votes, defeating APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes.

ADC candidate Najeem Salaam finished third with 17,180 votes.

The victory secured Adeleke another four-year term as governor and marked his successful return to office after switching from the PDP to the Accord Party ahead of the election.