Oyetola's Defeat in Osun Governorship Election Was Politically Manipulated

Former Osun State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Sunday Akere, has revealed that Adegboyega Oyetola lost the 2022 Osun governorship election due to internal political manipulations within the All Progressives Congress (APC). According to Akere, Oyetola’s loss was not due to his unpopularity, but because some political forces believed that removing him would hinder Bola Tinubu’s path to the presidency.

Akere, speaking at the 41st edition of The Frontliners event hosted by the League of Veteran Journalists in Osogbo, claimed that Oyetola has the right to review the election results. He confidently predicted that Oyetola will return to defeat the current governor, Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the 2026 election.

“We lost the 2022 election not because we were unpopular but because some powers thought that dealing with Oyetola would block Tinubu from becoming president,” Akere stated.

He further emphasized that Oyetola had a strong relationship with civil servants, always ensuring their salaries were paid on time. “Oyetola never owed civil servants, and there were no student protests under his administration. He quietly paid bursaries and didn’t interfere in the affairs of higher institutions.”

Akere also criticized the current administration of Ademola Adeleke for being wasteful with resources and questioned the quality of ongoing projects. He compared the N2.9 billion cost of the Olaiya Flyover built under Oyetola to the N10 billion being spent on a similar project at Okefia under Adeleke’s leadership, expressing concern over the disparity in costs and quality.