Adeleke: I won’t buy votes to win in Osun election

Osun State Governor and Accord Party candidate for Saturday’s governorship election, Ademola Adeleke, believes his record in office will get him re-elected.

During the Arise Townhall Meeting and in posts on his verified X handle on Tuesday, Adeleke talked about important issues like state finances, his political shift, and his well-known dancing.

On vote-buying, Adeleke said the state government has faced financial difficulties after federal allocations were withheld at the local government level for almost two years.

“As an administration, we do not have the resources to engage in vote buying. We have been using state resources to pay local government workers since our local government allocation was withheld almost two years ago,” he stated.

He also showed faith in the voters, saying, “I do not need to buy votes to win election. I have been giving workers palliative since 2023. I believe in my work to speak for me.”

Departure from PDP

Adeleke explained his move from the Peoples Democratic Party to the Accord Party. He said it was a tough choice but necessary due to issues within his former party.

“I left the PDP to join Accord because of the crisis in the PDP then. I love PDP so much, and it was difficult to leave. I would have run as an independent candidate in this election if it were allowed in Nigeria,” he said.

Known for his lively public appearances, the governor also defended his joyful personality against critics who say it distracts from governance. He believes his celebratory style comes from family tradition and does not affect his work.

“I dance because in my family, we are jolly good fellows. As I am dancing, I am working. There is time for everything; there is time to dance, and there is time to work. Dancing does not stop me from working. I have delivered across all sectors,” he added in another post.

Election Concerns

Adeleke's comments came after he addressed earlier concerns at the town hall meeting. He dismissed worries that the opposition All Progressives Congress would use federal support or state governors to sway the election.

According to PUNCH, Adeleke called himself a bulldozer, asserting that the backing of governors for the APC candidate would not influence the election results.