Osun Guber: Aregbesola denies ADC alliance with Adeleke, says no party can buy ADC support base

Former Osun State Governor and National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rauf Aregbesola, has dismissed reports that the party is negotiating an alliance with any political party ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

Aregbesola also denied speculation that the ADC governorship candidate, Najeem Salaam, would step down for another candidate in the election.

The former Minister of Interior spoke on Saturday at a solidarity rally organised by the ADC in Ejigbo, Osun State.

His comments followed reports circulating on social media that the ADC was in talks with the Accord Party to support the re-election bid of Governor Ademola Adeleke.

The speculation gained momentum after photographs of Adeleke and Aregbesola surfaced on social media platform X.

However, Aregbesola dismissed the reports, insisting that the ADC was not in any alliance with another political party.

“They said we are holding meeting with some people… We are not in alliance with any political party,” he said.

The former governor also claimed that no political party had the financial capacity to buy the ADC’s support base in Osun State.

“No political party can shoulder our responsibility. We are more in population than any other political party in Nigeria,” he added.

Aregbesola said the ADC had previously maintained relationships with prominent political figures but withdrew whenever such relationships and engagements ceased to work.

“Assuming we were looking for money, we would not part ways with them. Nobody has the money to buy us. This election we would contest and win,” he said.

He further cited his political career, including his eight years as a commissioner in Lagos State, eight years as governor of Osun State and his tenure as Minister of Interior, as evidence that he was not motivated by financial considerations.

According to him, the ADC was not seeking political alliances for monetary benefits and would not beg for funds to prosecute the election.

“We are not poor but we don’t beg. We are not wealthy but we don’t beg. We at this stage will not be chasing after money,” Aregbesola said.

He maintained that the ADC’s political mission was centred on service to the people and that its members remained committed to their principles.

“How God will make us the saviour of the masses is our mission on earth,” he said.

“Whoever you see with us is an honest person. We are here to serve society. That was the covenant between us and God when we were coming.”

Political Realignment Ahead of Osun Poll

Aregbesola’s comments came amid a wave of political realignments among major political actors ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.

On Sunday, former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola and former Deputy Governor Iyiola Omisore declared their support for Bola Oyebamiji, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Oyinlola, a prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said his group decided to support Oyebamiji because Osun State required a “different direction.”

“In this particular moment, Osun State requires a different direction. It is on this basis that we have resolved to officially declare our support for Mr Bola Oyebamiji,” Oyinlola said.

Oyebamiji subsequently described the endorsement as evidence of a shared conviction that Osun needs a new direction founded on justice, fairness, inclusion and development.

The developments have further intensified political activities across the state as the major candidates and their supporters intensify their campaigns ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

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