Osun poll: Adeleke’s wife leads women’s protest over alleged arrests, violence

The Osun State First Lady, Titilola Adeleke, on Monday led women from across the state in a protest against alleged indiscriminate arrests, political violence and intimidation ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

The protesters, drawn from different groups of traders, artisans and other women’s associations, marched through parts of Osogbo before proceeding towards the Osun State Police Command along the West Bypass.

The protest was aimed at demanding a peaceful, free and fair election, while calling on security agencies to remain neutral and protect voters and political actors irrespective of their affiliations.

Adeleke was accompanied by the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Ayobola Awolowo; the Special Adviser to the Governor on Market Affairs, Eniola Omotosho; and other government officials.

The women carried placards with inscriptions including, “Election is not war,” “Stop indiscriminate arrest of our husbands,” “We want a free and fair election,” and “Police must be neutral.”

The protesters were prevented from proceeding to the main entrance of the police command but were later received by the Commissioner of Police in charge of the election, Samuel Erale Etaifo.

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Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Adeleke said the women were concerned about alleged arrests and incidents of violence as political activities intensify ahead of Saturday’s poll.

She called on the police to invite some chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for questioning over alleged violence and urged political actors to commit themselves to peaceful conduct before and during the election.

“We are demanding a free and fair election in the forthcoming poll. We want peace; let there be peace,” Adeleke said.

“They should stop killing our husbands and children. Make them sign an undertaking. From what we heard, we learnt that they will start picking our leaders up this week.”

The First Lady also alleged that the Commissioner for Environment had recently been arrested and mistreated, describing the development as unacceptable.

“Last Friday, they picked up the Commissioner for Environment. He was brought here, stripped naked. This is not good enough. They should leave our people alone,” she said.

Adeleke subsequently submitted a letter containing the protesters’ demands to the police commissioner.

Responding, Etaifo said the police were working to reduce political tension and provide adequate security for the Osun governorship election.

He said his deployment to Osun was part of measures approved by the Inspector-General of Police to stabilise the state and create an environment where voters and political actors could participate in the electoral process without fear.

“I have been here for the past two weeks. The IG was here because of the heightened tension in the state. For the first time in history, the IG directed the CP election to come three weeks to the election,” Etaifo said.

According to him, the state had enjoyed relative peace since his arrival, but he warned that rival protests or confrontations could undermine efforts to maintain stability.

“We don’t want tension before the election; we want peace. We cannot conduct an election in an insecure environment,” he said.

Etaifo assured the protesters that the police would review their complaints and restrategise where necessary to address their concerns.

He said his mandate was to stabilise the state, provide an enabling environment for political actors to exercise their franchise and boost public confidence ahead of election day.

The police commissioner also warned politicians, supporters and other individuals against attempting to manipulate or disrupt the electoral process.

“If you are a manipulator of any election, that is even the worst. The IG and Nigeria will not forgive you. I will arrest you and take you to Abuja because this election is a federal election; we must get it right,” he said.

Etaifo commended the women for conducting the demonstration peacefully but urged them to return home to avoid any incident that could escalate tension.

He also directed police personnel to escort the protesters back to the point where their march began.

The protest came as preparations intensified for the Osun governorship election, with political parties and security agencies stepping up activities ahead of the August 15 poll.

The election is expected to attract significant attention as the major political parties intensify their final campaigns and mobilisation across the state.

With only days to the election, stakeholders have continued to call for restraint, peaceful conduct and strict adherence to electoral laws to ensure that voters can exercise their rights without fear or intimidation.

Osun poll: Adeleke’s wife leads women’s protest over alleged arrests, violence

Osun 2026: Oyinlola Leads PDP Heavyweights to Endorse APC’s Oyebamiji

Former Governor leads high-profile endorsement of APC candidate while insisting faction remains in PDP as Osun West candidates battle for votes

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State led by former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola has formally declared support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, popularly known as AMBO, ahead of Saturday’s August 15 governorship election. The endorsement, announced on Sunday at the WOCDIF Event Centre in Osogbo, represents a major political realignment that could significantly impact the poll. Oyinlola was joined by prominent PDP stalwarts including former Secretary to the State Government Fatai Akinbade, former PDP National Vice Chairman (Southwest) Tajudeen Oladipo, former Deputy Governor Mrs Titi Laoye Ponle, and former Minister of Police Affairs Jelili Adesiyan. The event also attracted senior APC figures, including Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Adegboyega Oyetola, former PDP Board of Trustees member Pa Shuaib Oyedokun, and OAU Governing Council Chairman Hon. Adejare Bello.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Oyinlola stressed that their decision was not a defection from the PDP but a matter of conscience driven by the larger interest of Osun State. “Let me repeat that our decision today should not be interpreted as an abandonment of the PDP. We remain PDP members. We are not here to announce our defection from the PDP. Rather, we are exercising our conscience as stakeholders who have served this state and who believe that, at this particular moment, Osun State requires a different direction,” Oyinlola stated. Oyinlola traced the group’s grievances to their efforts in bringing the current administration to power, lamenting that the initial vision had been undermined by what he described as lack of inclusiveness in governance. “We were among the major stakeholders who worked tirelessly towards the emergence of the present administration under the platform of the PDP. We believed in that project. We supported it. We mobilised our people for it. We invested our time, energy and political capital in it because we believed that it represented the aspirations of our people. But unfortunately, along the line, things began to fall apart,” Oyinlola said.

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The former governor emphasized that sustainable governance requires carrying all stakeholders along. “One of the major issues that have created this unfortunate situation, in our considered view, is the lack of inclusiveness in the governance of our state. We believe strongly that no party or government can succeed sustainably when it does not carry its people and leaders along. The PDP has always been a party built around consultation, participation and collective responsibility. These are values that we must continue to uphold,” he added. Oyinlola also made a philosophical appeal, urging members to prioritise the state over party loyalty. “Politics is temporary, but Osun State is permanent. Political parties may change, political alliances may change, administrations may come and go, but the people of Osun will remain. Our responsibility as leaders is therefore to make decisions that will protect the future of our people,” he declared.

The group’s endorsement of Oyebamiji came with conditions. Oyinlola urged the APC candidate to focus on good governance, economic development, infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture, youth empowerment, and inclusive government where every part of Osun feels represented. “You must put the people first and run an inclusive government. You must listen to the people. You must ensure that every part of Osun feels represented in your government,” Oyinlola charged. Responding to the endorsement, Oyebamiji promised to establish an inclusive administration that would accommodate diverse stakeholders across the state. “Those seated here are Osun’s stakeholders. There is no way one will abandon your wisdom and experiences if he wants to succeed as governor. I am assuring you that we will not abandon anyone in the running of the state. We won’t restrict governance to just a family or a community,” Oyebamiji said. He also dismissed rigging allegations, stating that “whoever is raising rigging allegations is expressing fear of defeat that is staring them in the face.”

Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, welcomed the endorsement, describing Oyinlola as a grassroots politician and national figure whose political antecedents could not be underestimated. Oyetola urged residents to remain peaceful and resolute ahead of the election. In their separate remarks, Akinbade and Oladipo called on all members of the PDP in the state to cast their votes overwhelmingly for Oyebamiji. The duo attributed their decision to pitch their tent with the APC as the best at the moment, not for selfish interest but for the good of the state and her citizens.

Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Oyebamiji Campaign Council, Hon. Wole Oke, publicly apologized to the PDP leaders for defying their instructions to support Governor Ademola Adeleke during the 2022 election cycle. Oke, a former PDP member, urged members of the PDP faction to take the campaign to their wards and polling units and mobilize support for Oyebamiji. It is worth noting that Governor Ademola Adeleke is no longer contesting on the PDP platform. Following his defection from the PDP, the incumbent governor is seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord Party, fundamentally altering the state’s political calculations. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cleared 14 candidates for the election, with neither the PDP nor the Labour Party fielding a candidate. The contest has emerged as a fiercely contested three-way race involving Adeleke, APC’s Oyebamiji, and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) flag bearer, Najeem Salaam—all of whom hail from the Osun West Senatorial District.

Efforts to reach the Osun PDP chairman, Sunday Bisi, for a reaction to the development were unsuccessful as calls did not go through and he had not responded to messages as of filing time.

Osun 2026: Oyinlola Leads PDP Heavyweights to Endorse APC’s Oyebamiji

Aregbesola: I’ve never slept with another woman since marriage

The National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rauf Aregbesola, has made a personal declaration about his marriage, saying he has never been intimate with another woman since marrying his wife, Sherifat.

Aregbesola made the statement while addressing supporters during an ADC campaign rally in Osun State, as the party intensifies its mobilisation ahead of the August 15, 2026 Osun governorship election.

Speaking in Yoruba, the former Osun State governor said his decision to remain faithful to his wife was connected to a personal commitment he made to God.

Aregbesola told the gathering that although such a declaration might be unusual for many men, he had remained committed to the promise he made as part of his religious devotion.

“Oh Lord my God, if you are the one I am serving, and I did not add any other thing to it. What I am about to say, only a few men can say it: Because of your fear, I never had any intimacy with another woman since I married my wife,” Aregbesola said.

He also spoke about a personal prayer concerning his political aspirations, telling supporters: “I told God that next June, we must do it at the government house.”

The comments came as Aregbesola continues to play a prominent role in the ADC’s campaign for the Osun governorship election, where the party is seeking to challenge the established political forces in the state.

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The ADC governorship candidate, Najeem Folasayo Salaam, is contesting against Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke, who is seeking another term under the Accord Party.

Aregbesola, who governed Osun State between 2010 and 2018, has emerged as one of the leading figures in the ADC’s campaign and has been involved in the party’s efforts to expand its support base across the state.

The former governor joined the ADC after leaving the APC and has repeatedly dismissed speculation that he intends to return to the ruling party.

His involvement has added political weight to the ADC’s campaign as the party seeks to present itself as an alternative to the APC and other major political platforms ahead of the Osun 2026 election.

The contest is expected to attract significant attention because of the political history of the state and the involvement of prominent political figures.

For Aregbesola, however, his latest remarks focused largely on his personal convictions, with the former governor presenting his marital fidelity as part of his commitment to his faith and relationship with God.

The statement has generated interest because of its highly personal nature, coming from a prominent Nigerian politician during an active election campaign.

As political parties continue their campaigns across Osun State, attention is expected to remain focused on the candidates, their policies, campaign strategies and the issues that will influence voters when they head to the polls on August 15, 2026.

Aregbesola: I’ve never slept with another woman since marriage