The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has rejected claims made by Governor Ademola Adeleke that the opposition party intends to rely on federal influence to manipulate the governorship election scheduled for August 15, 2026.
In a statement released on Sunday, the party’s Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, described the allegation as baseless, adding that it was an attempt to prepare excuses ahead of a possible defeat in the election.
Olabisi said the governor’s claims surfaced following remarks made during a stakeholders’ meeting of the Accord Party, where Adeleke accused the APC of planning to deploy federal authority during the election.
According to the APC spokesman, “the opposition party has no intention of influencing the electoral process through unlawful means and believes it can win the election based on its growing support across the state.
“The allegation that our party intends to rely on federal might to win the governorship election is a mere figment of the imagination of some rumour mongers.”
He added that the “APC had been focusing on legitimate political mobilisation and strategic planning ahead of the election, insisting that such efforts would determine the outcome of the poll.”
The party also referred to recent political changes in the state, noting that several prominent politicians previously linked to the governor’s political camp had now joined the APC.
Those mentioned included Shuaib Oyedokun, Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi and Wole Oke, whom the party said have strengthened its position ahead of the election.
Olabisi further mentioned the defection of political figures such as Dotun Babayemi and Akin Ogunbiyi, noting that their support had added momentum to the party’s campaign activities.
The APC maintained that “these developments demonstrate what a shifting political alignments in the state ahead of the election.”
The spokesman said the party’s governorship candidate, Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, popularly known as AMBO, continues to gain increasing backing across different communities in the state.
“Our governorship candidate is a serious contender who is going into the August 2026 election to win convincingly without resorting to fraudulent means,” Olabisi stated.
Meanwhile, Governor Adeleke has continued to caution against what he described as attempts to intimidate voters during the electoral process.
Speaking to leaders and ward officials of the Accord Party across Osun’s 332 wards in Osogbo, the governor said federal authority should be used for governance rather than for election interference.
“Federal might is for good governance, not election rigging,” Adeleke said, while urging voters to remain vigilant ahead of the election.
He also called on residents to safeguard the credibility of the electoral process, stressing that “only the votes of the people will determine who governs the state.”
 in Osun State has rejected claims made by Governor Ademola Adeleke that the opposition party intends to rely on federal){kind=link}