‘No Electoral Agreement with ADC’ – Adeleke Rejects Collaboration Claims, Credits God

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has firmly dismissed claims of a political pact with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the August 15 governorship election, insisting that the party was never part of the coalition that backed his re-election bid. The governor’s clarification came on Tuesday through his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, following comments by the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, that his party had deliberately collaborated with the Accord Party to prevent the All Progressives Congress from reclaiming power in the state. The contrasting narratives have sparked a fresh debate about opposition politics in Nigeria, with the ADC framing its low vote tally as a strategic victory while the governor insists he had no electoral agreement with the party before, during, or after the poll.

Bolaji Abdullahi, while speaking on Trust TV on Monday, said the ADC recognised early enough that splitting opposition votes could give the APC an advantage in the election. He explained that the party therefore chose to work with the Accord Party as part of efforts to stop the APC from returning to power. “We saw the possibility of collaboration. We saw the possibility earlier enough that if we decided to go full throttle, the possibility that the opposition would divide the votes and the APC would take the victory was there,” Abdullahi said. “And that was why we saw the opportunity to work together, and that was what happened.” The ADC’s governorship candidate, Najeem Salaam, polled 17,180 votes in the election, while Adeleke, who contested on the Accord platform, secured 511,067 votes to defeat the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who garnered 444,815 votes. Adeleke won 19 of Osun’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji carried the remaining 11. The victory gives Adeleke a second four-year term, making him only the second governor in Osun State’s history to win re-election, after former governor Rauf Aregbesola. The final tally gave Adeleke a winning margin of 66,252 votes over Oyebamiji.

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Abdullahi said the ADC did not consider its candidate’s failure to win the governorship as a defeat, insisting that its major objective was to prevent the APC from taking control of the state. “That is why we can confidently celebrate what is going on in Osun, because for us, victory means that APC was defeated,” he said. “So we don’t see the fact that our governorship candidate did not emerge as an occasion of defeat or failure. The failure, the defeat of the APC, was a real victory for us.” He further clarified that the ADC did not necessarily direct its supporters to vote for Adeleke, but rather entered into an understanding with the Accord Party. “We cooperated with the Accord Party,” he said. Abdullahi also argued that the Osun election had provided evidence that opposition parties could pose a serious challenge to the APC in the 2027 presidential election if they were able to overcome their differences and work together. “It’s something that was deliberate, and we are glad that the outcome has justified the confidence that everyone has put in the process, and it has proved that the opposition working together can actually defeat this incumbent, no matter how awesome they are,” he said.

However, Adeleke rejected any suggestion that the ADC was part of the political alliance that supported his campaign. The governor said the ADC had no agreement with him “before, during and after” the election, while crediting God and the people of Osun for his victory. “For the sake of history, it is important to clarify that the ADC was never part of the rainbow coalition that canvassed, mobilised, and supported our campaign in the battle leading to last Saturday’s election,” Adeleke said. “I commend political partners who went all out to make Saturday a victory day for all Osun people. But we must clarify for the sake of history that ADC was never part of the alliance,” the governor stated. Adeleke also struck a conciliatory tone, saying: “Now that the election is over, I am a governor of all Osun people irrespective of political groups, religion or race.” He added that his administration would focus on uniting the people and continuing the progress and prosperity of Osun State.

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Meanwhile, former Minister of Interior and former Osun governor, Rauf Aregbesola, who is also the ADC National Secretary, on Monday congratulated Governor Adeleke on his re-election, urging him to use his renewed mandate to unite the state and govern all residents fairly. Aregbesola said the outcome of the August 15 governorship election reflected the choice of the people and should be respected by all political actors. In a statement, he noted that “the people of Osun have spoken through the ballot; their decision must be respected.” He urged Adeleke to “see the outcome as a renewed mandate to unite the state, deepen development and govern with fairness, humility and a strong sense of responsibility to every citizen, irrespective of political affiliation.” Aregbesola also commended ADC members and supporters for their steadfastness, courage, and commitment throughout the campaign, praising the party’s candidate, Dr. Najeem Folasayo Salaam, for conducting his campaign with dignity and accepting the election outcome with maturity. The ADC National Publicity Secretary dismissed claims that the party’s poor showing was linked to resentment against Aregbesola, insisting that the party’s leadership had witnessed the level of support the former governor still enjoyed in the state. He described such claims as untrue and uncharitable, noting that the entire leadership of the party was in Osun in the days leading to the election.

At the time of the reports, neither the Accord Party nor Governor Adeleke had confirmed the opposition alliance claimed by the ADC. The APC, which recorded its highest-ever vote total in Osun at 444,815 votes, said it was reviewing the results and may explore legal options under the Electoral Act. The party’s candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, had earlier congratulated Adeleke on his victory, but the party leadership has since indicated that it is examining the election process for possible irregularities. The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Adeleke the winner after he secured 511,067 votes, a significant improvement over his 2022 victory margin. The election was largely peaceful, though there were isolated reports of irregularities in some polling units, which the APC has said it is reviewing as it considers possible legal action. The contrasting narratives from Adeleke and the ADC have raised important questions about the nature of opposition collaboration in Nigeria. While the ADC insists that its strategic alliance with the Accord Party was instrumental in preventing an APC victory, Adeleke’s denial suggests that the governor is keen to assert his independent political identity and avoid being seen as indebted to any particular party. However, political analysts note that the ADC’s disclosure has already fueled discussions about the possibility of a broader opposition alliance ahead of the 2027 presidential election. The party’s willingness to subordinate its own electoral ambitions for a larger political objective could serve as a template for opposition cooperation in future elections, particularly as debates about a unified opposition front gain momentum. The election outcome and the subsequent exchanges between Adeleke and the ADC have therefore set the stage for intense political realignments as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general election, with opposition parties exploring various strategies to challenge the ruling APC at the national level.

‘No Electoral Agreement with ADC’ – Adeleke Rejects Collaboration Claims, Credits God

ADC Reveals Strategic Collaboration with Accord Party to Defeat APC in Osun Governorship Election

The African Democratic Congress has disclosed that it entered into a deliberate electoral collaboration with the Accord Party during the August 15 Osun State governorship election specifically to prevent the All Progressives Congress from reclaiming power in the state. The revelation comes as the party’s national publicity secretary defended its unexpectedly low vote tally, arguing that the primary objective was not victory for its own candidate but the defeat of the APC. The ADC’s governorship candidate, Najeem Salaam, polled 17,180 votes in the election, coming a distant third behind incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, who won with 511,067 votes, and APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji, who secured 444,815 votes. Despite the wide margin, the ADC has framed its performance as a strategic success rather than an electoral failure, setting the stage for renewed discussions about opposition alliances ahead of the 2027 general election.

Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC National Publicity Secretary, made the disclosure on Monday during an interview with Trust TV while evaluating the party’s performance in the Osun election. He explained that the party had identified early on that a division of opposition votes could hand victory to the APC, prompting discussions about working with the Accord Party. Abdullahi stated that the party saw the possibility of collaboration early enough, recognizing that if they decided to go full throttle, the opposition would divide the votes and the APC would take the victory. He said this was why they saw the opportunity to work together, and that was exactly what happened. The ADC spokesperson said the party did not regard its candidate’s low vote tally as a failure, arguing that its broader objective was to prevent the APC from returning to power in Osun State. He explained that this was why they could confidently celebrate what was going on in Osun, because for them, victory meant that the APC was defeated. He added that they did not see the fact that their governorship candidate did not emerge as an occasion of defeat or failure, insisting that the failure and defeat of the APC was a real victory for them.

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When asked whether the ADC had directed its supporters to vote for Adeleke, Abdullahi responded that the party cooperated with the Accord Party. He added that the decision had the backing of the ADC leadership and was part of a deliberate strategy to prevent the APC from reclaiming the state. Abdullahi said the outcome of the Osun election demonstrated the potential strength of opposition parties if they could work together ahead of the 2027 general election. He described the collaboration as something that was deliberate, and expressed gladness that the outcome had justified the confidence that everyone had put in the process. He said it had proved that the opposition working together could actually defeat the incumbent, no matter how awesome they were. However, the ADC spokesperson rejected the idea that the party should take sole credit for Adeleke’s victory, stressing that the electorate ultimately determined the result. He said that when he said they were not taking credit, he meant that the credit belonged to the people of Osun State. He added that the victory belonged to Ademola Adeleke, who, in spite of all odds, still managed to emerge as the governor of Osun State.

The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Governor Ademola Adeleke winner of the August 15, 2026 election after he secured 511,067 votes, defeating his closest rival, APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes. The ADC candidate, Najeem Salaam, scored 17,180 votes, coming a distant third on the ballot. Adeleke won 19 of Osun State’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji carried the remaining 11 councils. The victory gives Adeleke a second four-year term, making him only the second governor in Osun State’s history to win re-election, after former governor Rauf Aregbesola. The final tally gave Adeleke a winning margin of 66,252 votes over Oyebamiji. Abdullahi also dismissed claims that the party’s poor performance was linked to resentment against its national secretary and former Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola. He described such claims as untrue and uncharitable, noting that the entire leadership of the party was in Osun in the days leading to the election and witnessed the kind of overwhelming support that Aregbesola still controlled in Osun State. The ADC spokesman described claims about Aregbesola’s treatment of civil servants while in office as oppositionality, saying Aregbesola remained popular in the state. He maintained that the ADC’s decision to collaborate with Accord was deliberate and not motivated by resentment or a desire to punish any political actor.

The disclosure offers insight into the opposition strategy that shaped the Osun election and could fuel renewed discussions about the possibility of a broader opposition alliance ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Abdullahi said the cooperation with Accord was a deliberate decision whose outcome, he said, had validated the strategy and proved that opposition parties working together could defeat the ruling APC, no matter how awesome they are. At the time of the reports, neither the Accord Party nor Governor Ademola Adeleke had confirmed the opposition alliance in the Osun governorship election. The APC, which recorded its highest-ever vote total in Osun at 444,815 votes, said it was reviewing the results and may explore legal options under the Electoral Act. The election outcome and the ADC’s disclosure have therefore set the stage for intense political realignments as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general election, with opposition parties exploring various strategies to challenge the ruling APC at the national level.

ADC Reveals Strategic Collaboration with Accord Party to Defeat APC in Osun Governorship Election