Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has predicted that Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, will lose his bid for re-election in the August 15 governorship election.
Oyetola made the statement on Saturday while speaking to supporters and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State.
The former governor was reacting to Adeleke’s recent claims that members and leaders of the APC and Accord Party were being subjected to intimidation ahead of the election.
According to Oyetola, the governor’s allegations showed that the Accord Party candidate was becoming concerned about his chances at the polls.
Speaking in Yoruba, the former governor maintained that Adeleke’s endorsement of President Bola Tinubu would not prevent the APC from reclaiming the state.
Oyetola said Adeleke could make several endorsements, but such endorsements would not determine the outcome of the election.
The minister also dismissed Adeleke’s repeated references to him during the ongoing political contest, saying he had chosen not to engage the governor in public exchanges.
Oyetola said he was not focused on Adeleke’s campaign activities and suggested that the governor had made him a frequent subject of discussion.
Adeleke is seeking another term in office under the Accord Party and is facing APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji and other contenders in the August 15 election.
The contest has increasingly emerged as a closely watched battle between Adeleke and Oyebamiji, with both camps stepping up their campaigns as election day approaches.
The political environment in Osun has also remained tense, with rival parties exchanging accusations over alleged intimidation, arrests and violence involving their supporters.
Adeleke and members of his campaign have accused the Oyetola-led APC of targeting Accord Party members and some political allies. The APC has denied the allegations.
Oyetola governed Osun State between 2018 and 2022 before losing his re-election bid to Adeleke in the 2022 governorship election.
The upcoming poll has therefore renewed the political rivalry between the two politicians, with Oyetola now supporting the APC’s effort to regain control of the state.