The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, has told Osun State governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke to prepare for defeat in the August 15 governorship election.
Oyetola said Adeleke’s endorsement of President Bola Tinubu would not stop the All Progressives Congress (APC) from taking back the governorship seat.
The former Osun governor spoke at the weekend while addressing APC leaders, stakeholders and supporters in the State.
Oyetola was reacting to allegations by Adeleke that APC members and leaders of the Accord Party were being intimidated ahead of the election.
Speaking in Yoruba, Oyetola said Adeleke’s complaints showed that the governor was already worried about losing the election.
He said: “They realised that they are already losing out. Then they claimed to have endorsed us. He almost cried. Endorsement cannot retain this seat for you. We are taking it over.
“If you like, make 10 endorsements, we will collect this one from you.”
Oyetola also dismissed Adeleke’s frequent references to him, saying he had deliberately avoided responding to the governor publicly.
He said: “If he sleeps and has nightmares, he will say he saw me. If his wife gave him food late, he would say I’m responsible for that.
“My name is so sweet in his mouth. Meanwhile, we are not even interested in his case. If we get interested in his case, he will feel it.”
Adeleke is seeking re-election in the August 15 election on the platform of the Accord Party. He will face the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, and other candidates.
The election is expected to be a close contest between Adeleke and Oyebamiji, with both camps stepping up their campaigns ahead of the poll.
Political tension has also increased in the state, with the two major camps accusing each other of violence, intimidation and the arrest of their supporters.
Adeleke and his campaign team have accused the Oyetola-led APC of intimidating Accord Party members following reports of arrests and raids on the homes of some party leaders and senior government officials.
The APC has denied the allegations and continued its campaign to regain control of Osun State after losing the governorship to Adeleke in 2022.
Oyetola governed Osun from 2018 to 2022 but lost his re-election bid to Adeleke in the closely contested 2022 election.
The two politicians are now on opposite sides again as Oyetola supports Oyebamiji and the APC in its attempt to return to power in Osun.