Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in the political situation in the state, warning against violence ahead of the forthcoming governorship election.
Speaking during a campaign rally in Olorunda Local Government Area on Monday, Adeleke said Osun was “bleeding” and urged the President to ensure that the election is conducted in a peaceful, free and fair manner.
The governor alleged that innocent lives had been lost due to political unrest, insisting that residents of the state would not be intimidated.
“I appealed directly to Mr. President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Osun is bleeding, and our people will not be intimidated. His intervention is needed. The loss of innocent lives in Osun must stop. All we are asking for is simply a free and fair election,” Adeleke said.
He further urged Tinubu to act as a statesman and protect the democratic values he fought to establish, while cautioning against actions that could tarnish the President’s legacy.
Adeleke also referenced the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, urging the President not to allow his nephew to undermine democracy in Osun.
“I reminded the President that the 2027 general elections are also around the corner, and he should not allow his nephew, Mr. Oyetola, the Minister for Marine and Blue Economy, to ruin his name and the democracy he fought along with many others,” he stated.
The governor warned against a repeat of the political violence that engulfed parts of the South-West during the 1983 elections, describing such a scenario as one Nigerians must never experience again.
“It is our collective prayer that, as a country, we never witness the political violence of 1983, particularly in the South-West. Democracy works when the people freely choose their leaders, a demand that is not too much for the citizens of Osun State to make,” Adeleke added.
