The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has stated that the defeat of Dino Melaye, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the Kogi State gubernatorial election, should serve as a lesson for Governor Ademola Adeleke.
DAILY POST reports that Melaye was defeated in the 2023 Kogi gubernatorial election where the APCโs Usman Ahmed Ododo emerged as the winner.
Governor Adeleke served as the campaign chairman of the PDP in the election.
In a statement signed by the Osun APC chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, he also described Melayeโs defeat as the political demystification of Adeleke.
The statement reads, โThe Kogi State gubernatorial election results should serve as a metaphorical mirror for Adeleke, reflecting his political emptiness. With Melayeโs defeat, the PDP gubernatorial candidate, the outcome in Kogi State this year might mirror the scenario in Osun Stateโs 2026 governorship election.โ
Lawal explained that Adeleke inadvertently brought political misfortune to Kogi State, having been overestimated by the national leadership of the PDP, who appointed him as the campaign chairman.
โItโs now evident that those who believed Adeleke possessed a tested election strategy, one that secured victories for him and his party in recent Osun elections, will realize that the upstart governor relied mainly on luck. He escaped consequences despite committing misconduct in those elections, leveraging compromised security agents and political tactics to manipulate the will of the electorate.
โThe fallout from the Kogi State gubernatorial election will halt the unfounded confidence of Governor Adeleke in Kogi State. His presumption that chairing the campaign would guarantee a repeat of electoral success, akin to what occurred fraudulently in Osun, will likely be shattered.โ
โI question why Governor Adeleke didnโt disclose to his appointees, who entrusted him with the Kogi State governorship election campaign, that his victory was costly. Over 30 innocent state APC members lost their lives due to PDP-related violence.โ
โCurrently, there is no escape for you, Adeleke, and your allies. My party, the APC, will use all constitutional means to dislodge you from office in the 2026 governorship elections.โ
โYour premonition about being an illegal occupant in the Osun State Government House seems apparent, considering your lack of sleep since your administrationโs inauguration about a year ago.โ
While urging Governor Adeleke to distribute the Federal Governmentโs N9 Billion fuel subsidy removal palliative to the stateโs people, Lawal reminded Adeleke that in 2026, voters will use their cards to vote him out.
He also warned, โIf Governor Adeleke intends to delay the Federal Government palliative until the first anniversary of his administration in a few days, he will face resistance from the conscious members of society.โ