• Says Accord won through people’s support, not through an opposition merger.
• ADC’s Bolaji Abdullahi insists on strategic cooperation to avoid vote‑splitting.
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has denied entering into any electoral pact or partnership with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) before, during, or after the August 15 governorship election.
Adeleke’s reaction followed claims by the ADC that it strategically aligned with the Accord Party to prevent the All Progressives Congress (APC) from returning to power in the state.
Speaking on Tuesday, Adeleke clarified that the ADC was never part of the political coalition that campaigned and mobilized support for his re-election. He attributed his victory solely to God and the electorate.
“I had no electoral deal or partnership with the ADC before, during, or after the governorship election,” Adeleke said. “The credit for our victory goes to God Almighty and the good people of Osun State for their overwhelming support.
“It is important for the historical record to clarify that the ADC was never part of the rainbow coalition that canvassed, mobilized, and supported our campaign in the battle leading to last Saturday’s election.”
The governor, however, commended the political parties and interest groups that officially supported his campaign.
“I commend all our political partners who sacrificed, worked tirelessly, and went all out to make Saturday a victory day for all Osun people. Their commitment and support were instrumental to our success,” he said, urging residents to unite for the development of the state now that the election is over.
### ADC Explains Strategy
Earlier, the National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, disclosed during an interview on Trust TV that the party chose cooperation over competition to avoid splitting the opposition vote.
In the final results, Adeleke, who contested on the platform of the Accord Party, secured 511,067 votes to defeat the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes. The ADC’s governorship candidate, Najeem Salaam, finished with 17,180 votes.
According to Abdullahi, the ADC’s leadership recognized early that a divided opposition would play into the hands of the APC.
“We saw the possibility of collaboration early enough. If we had decided to go full throttle, there was a strong chance the opposition would divide the votes, allowing the APC to take the victory,” Abdullahi said. “That was why we saw the opportunity to work together, and that was what happened.”
Abdullahi stated that the ADC does not view the low vote count for its candidate, Salaam, as a failure, arguing that the party’s primary objective was achieved.
“We can confidently celebrate what is going on in Osun because, for us, victory means that the APC was defeated,” Abdullahi added. “So, we don’t see the fact that our governorship candidate did not emerge as a defeat. The defeat of the APC was the real victory for us.”
When asked to clarify if the ADC officially directed its members to vote for Adeleke, Abdullahi maintained that the decision was a deliberate political strategy based on cooperation with the Accord Party.
