Osun State  Governor Ademola Adeleke has appealed directly to President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the political situation in the state, accusing Minister of Marine and Blue  Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, of actions capable of plunging Osun into crisis ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

Speaking during his campaign rally in the Olorunda Local Government Area of Osogbo on Monday, Adeleke alleged that members of his party were being attacked and killed.

Adeleke therefore urged the President to ensure that the election is conducted in a free, fair and credible manner.

Addressing supporters, the governor warned against any attempt to manipulate the outcome of the election, saying Osun residents would defend their votes.

“President Bola Tinubu, something is happening in Osun State that you need to know. Our people are being killed, and as our father, we are appealing to you. We will not accept any attempt to rig this election,” Adeleke said.

He recalled the political violence that accompanied the 1983 elections in the South-West, warning that such events should never be allowed to happen again.

“You will remember what happened in 1983. It started in Yorubaland, particularly in Ondo State. We do not want history to repeat itself. What we want is a free, fair and credible election,” he added.

The governor also accused the police of failing to act impartially and urged the Federal Government to deploy security agencies to tackle kidnappers and criminal elements instead of intimidating political opponents.

“As the Chief Security Officer of Osun State, I am telling you that our people will come out en masse to vote, and we will protect our votes. Do not allow what happened in 1983 to happen again in Osun State,” Adeleke stated.

He reminded Tinubu that he had endorsed his 2027 presidential ambition alongside the Accord Party, questioning why Osun was allegedly facing political pressure despite that support.

After the rally, Adeleke also reiterated his message in a post on social media, where he accused Oyetola of threatening peace in the state.

“President Tinubu Should Not Allow Oyetola Set Osun on Fire,” the governor wrote.

He added, “At the campaign rally today in Olorunda local government area, I appealed directly to Mr. President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Osun is bleeding, and our people will not be intimidated. His intervention is needed, the loss of innocent lives in Osun must stop. All we are asking for is simply a free and fair election.”

Adeleke urged the President to protect Nigeria’s democracy.

He said, “Mr. President must act as the father of this nation and help safeguard the democracy he fought for. I reminded the President that the 2027 general elections are also around the corner, and he should not allow his nephew, Mr. Oyetola, the Minister for Marine and Blue Economy, to ruin his name and the democracy he fought along with many others.”

He added, “It is our collective prayer that as a country, may we never witness such incident as the political violence of 1983 particularly in the southwest. Democracy works when the people freely chose their leaders, a demand not too much for citizen of Osun State to make.”

The governor’s appeal comes barely a week after he and the national leadership of the Accord Party adopted President Tinubu as their preferred presidential candidate for the 2027 general election. According to the opposition party, endorsing the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for 2027 presidential election will ensure the completion of major infrastructure projects initiated by this administration.

Adeleke’s comments also follow recent remarks by the National Chairman of the APC, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, who declared that the ruling party was determined to win the August 15 governorship election in Osun.

During the inauguration of the APC National Campaign Council, Yilwatda described the election as a crucial rehearsal for the 2027 general elections and vowed that the party would mobilise governors, ministers, lawmakers and local government officials across the country to secure victory for its candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji.

“We must win Osun and nothing will stop us,” Yilwatda declared, adding that the APC would carry out extensive house-to-house campaigns across the state as part of its strategy to reclaim the governorship.