A member of the West African Solidarity Network, Austin Aigbe, has accused Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke of playing politics by supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the national level while opposing the influence of the Tinubu administration in the state.
Aigbe made the allegation during an ARISE News programme on the forthcoming Osun State governorship election, where he discussed the political relationship between Adeleke, Tinubu and former Osun State Governor Gboyega Oyetola.
According to Aigbe, Adeleke’s support for Tinubu at the national level was motivated by the relationship between the President and Oyetola.
He argued that Adeleke was seeking Tinubu’s support because of the President’s relationship with the former Osun governor.
“Governor Adeleke wants President on his side because the President is a cousin to the former governor of Osun,” Aigbe said.
He alleged that Adeleke was trying to maintain a relationship with Tinubu while resisting the influence of the Federal Government in Osun State.
“Governor Adeleke is just playing politics, supporting Tinubu’s mandate at the federal level but not the state level,” he added.
The allegation comes as political activities increase ahead of the Osun governorship election, with political parties and their candidates working to build alliances and strengthen their positions.
Also speaking on the programme, human rights lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju described Adeleke’s support for Tinubu as contradictory.
Adeyanju said the governor’s position was difficult to understand because Adeleke had repeatedly accused the Federal Government of working against his administration and political interests in Osun State.
“Governor Adeleke is endorsing Tinubu and also crying that his government is trying to rig him,” Adeyanju said.
The activist questioned the political reasoning behind Adeleke’s position, saying it appeared inconsistent for an opposition politician to support the President while accusing the Federal Government of planning to interfere in the Osun governorship election.
Opposition Should Oppose Government
Adeyanju also argued that such political alignment was not consistent with the traditional role of opposition parties.
He said the Accord Party, which he described as part of the wider opposition, would normally be expected to oppose the government at the centre rather than support its presidential candidate.
