Olawale Rasheed, the special adviser on media to Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, has written an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, seeking his neutrality in the 2026 off-cycle governorship election in the state.
In the letter, titled ‘Osun 2026: Open Letter to President Tinubu,’ Mr Rasheed also told the president that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its array of aspirants were unelectable as the Osun indigenes were satisfied with Mr Adeleke’s performance.
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Mr Adeleke is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has lost some of its governors, lawmakers and chieftains to the president’s party, APC, in the recent past.
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State and Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State dumped the PDP for the ruling party.
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Gov Adeleke’s visit to Tinubu
Mr Rasheed’s letter comes days after Mr Adeleke’s visit to the President, Tinubu, in Lagos. The governor was accompanied by his elder brother, Deji Adeleke and nephew, David Adeleke (Davido).
This evening, alongside the scion of the Adeleke dynasty, my big brother, Dr. Deji Adeleke and my nephew, whom we are immensely proud of, David Adeleke, popularly known as @davido we paid a courtesy visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at his Lagos residence ahead of the Sallah… pic.twitter.com/tNMamL5ATj
— Gov Ademola Adeleke (@AAdeleke_01) June 3, 2025
The visit sparked speculations of Governor Adeleke’s possible defection from the PDP to the APC ahead of the election.
Some APC members had described the visit as a show of desperation by the governor seeking to curry the president’s favour in view of the coming polls.
A former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Timothy Owoeye, declared that there was no space for the governor in the party.
Also, the Osun APC Director of Media and Information, Mogaji Olabisi, in a statement, said the visit of Davido, his father, and uncle to President Tinubu had significant political implications for the party’s governorship aspirants..
“Our party is intact in our state and I am eminently qualified to state that we have an array of capable and qualified governorship aspirants who have been consulting with interest groups about their 2026 gubernatorial aspirations, to take over from the current bumbling and fumbling governor and give quality leadership to the people of Osun State.
“The troubled looks on the faces of the three visitors to the President indicated a pointer to the fact that if something was not chasing them, they were definitely chasing something.
“It was only Governor Ademola, his brother, Deji and nephew, Davido who could feel where their shoes were pinching them but definitely, there is fire on the mountain for the trio and the Osun State chapter of the PDP,” he said.
Mr Olabisi alleged that Governor Adeleke had used various media outlets to antagonise the president and his economic policies, adding that, despite that, it was within his rights to visit him.
However, the governor and his aides have denied the report on the purpose of the visit, explaining that it was borne out of courtesy in view of the Sallah festivities.
APC’s defeat in Osun
Mr Adeleke defeated the then-incumbent governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, of the APC, in the 2022 governorship election in the state.
Mr Oyetola, the minister of marine and blue economy, had beaten Mr Adeleke in controversial circumstances in the 2018 poll.
The minister is believed to be interested in returning to office in the 2026 election.
Adeleke is favourably disposed to Tinubu
In his letter, Mr Rasheed attempted to draw President Tinubu’s attention to the fact that the governor was more favourably disposed to his leadership than some of the APC members in Osun State.
He said Governor Adeleke is “a man who from 2022 has never directly or indirectly attacked your person, unlike some of your party members who have disrespected your esteemed office and person by series of irresponsible outbursts over a very harmless courtesy visit on you, the President of all Nigerians, by the Osun state governor.”
He added, “Sir, permit me to make reference to the issue of a second term for both the governor and you, the leader of the nation. You are a battle tested democrat. Your love for a free and fair contest is known to all. Nobody will request you to impose him on the people. The clarion call on you is to be the father of all by allowing free contests among your sons. Osun people will then judge using their ballot papers.”
Mr Rasheed also insinuated that the visit underscores the political strategies of Mr President for his future electoral ambitions.
“When you granted audience to the Osun State Governor, it was in fulfillment of your position as the father of the nation, a bridge builder and a leader always a step ahead of future battle,” he said.
“But sir, some of your party members in Osun state are permuting at lower frequency. Their worldview appears so hollow that they cannot see what you see, they cannot comprehend the strategic moves you are making to rebuild Nigeria and soften ground for future wins.”
The governor’s spokesperson also said that “today, Osun APC and its aspirants are unelectable,” because they are far removed from the citizens and have also failed to see the achievements of the current administration.
Governor’s achievements
Highlighting the achievements of his principal, Mr Rasheed noted that the governor has, within less than three years, responsibly and productively governed the state with deliveries and dividends that surpass the combined output of 12 years of the previous APC rule.
Mr Rasheed also acquainted the President Tinubu achievements with some of the projects and achievements of the governor.
“Mr President, the outcome is that the Adeleke administration under two and half years in office constructed over 250 kilometers of roads, paid over 60 billions in pension and salary debt, rehabilitated over 200 health centres, upgraded over 100 schools, placed more than 3000 pensioners on free health insurance, purchased 31 tractors for mechanisation, launched Osun digital economy, upgraded sport sector with state sport commission among others.
“The administration is almost completing three flyover bridges alongside the completion of several abandoned projects. University of Ilesa is now a reality while Osun State University had five separate projects completed.
“The Governor harmonised the tax system, provided a 45 day window for processing of Certificate of Occupancy and implemented mining sector reform to increase revenue inflow and revived the state’s free trade zones.
“Several federal agencies have issued favorable reports on Osun governance. Hence, Dr Adedeji Adeleke, leaders of thought and Osun residents are proud of Governor Adeleke and his performing team,” he said.
Read Mr Rasheed’s letter
Osun 2026: Open Letter to President Tinubu
By Mallam Olawale Rasheed
Dear President Bola Tinubu,
I start by congratulating Mr President on your two year anniversary. As much as I am a Special Adviser to Governor Ademola Adeleke, this letter is outside my official capacity as I am writing as a Nigerian citizen, a journalist and an indigene of Osun state.
I write as one among millions of Osun indigenes who is pleased and impressed by the stewardship and deliveries of Governor Ademola Adeleke, a man who from 2022 has never directly or indirectly attack your person, unlike some of your party members who have disrespected your esteemed office and person by series of irresponsible outbursts over a very harmless courtesy visit on you, the President of all Nigerians, by the Osun state governor. Sir, I declare that by all accounts, your brother, Ademola Adeleke has within less than three years, responsibly and productively governed the state with deliveries and dividends that surpass the combined output of 12 years of the previous APC rule.
Mr President must have taken a judicious note of insults and reprehensible letters and briefings against the person of Mr President by some APC operatives. I am particularly shocked at the degeneration of thinking and the elevation of insults by some of your party members in Osun state who failed to see or ignore the larger picture of your politicking within the bigger context of upcoming political warfare. One would have expected your partymen to trust your tested experience which is a product of a fireproof, painful duel that secured the presidency under the most difficult model of electoral contest. Mr President, I apologize for their immature temperament, their illegitimate assumption of high ideals and their shallow grasp of political dynamics.
Mr President may want to note that governance in Osun has produced so many results for several reasons. Governor Adeleke leads a government of like minds with direct and insistent determination to uplift the state within personal self-deprivation and sacrifice. From the Governor to every member of the team, delivery of good governance is the number one mantra.
Mr President, the outcome is that the Adeleke administration under two and half years in office constructed over 250 kilometers of roads, paid over 60 billions in pension and salary debt, rehabilitated over 200 health centres, upgraded over 100 schools, placed more than 3000 pensioners on free health insurance, purchased 31 tractors for mechanisation, launched Osun digital economy, upgraded sport sector with state sport commission among others.
The administration is almost completing three flyover bridges alongside completion of several abandoned projects. University of Ilesa is now a reality while Osun State University had five separate projects completed. The Governor harmonized the tax system, provided a 45 day window for processing of Certificate of Occupancy and implemented mining sector reform to increase revenue inflow and revived the state’s free trade zones. Several federal agencies have issued favorable reports on Osun governance. Hence, Dr Adedeji Adeleke, leaders of thought and Osun residents are proud of Governor Adeleke and his performing team.
But sir, politics being what it is, some members of your party in Osun State opted to embrace fake news of non-performance in their assessment of the governor. As they persist in peddling such lies, the party got alienated from the citizens who are enjoying the various dividends of democracy. Hence, today, Osun APC and its aspirants are unelectable. I am very sorry to note that those who misled and mismanaged your cousin and his political project are still the same set pushing the same failed strategy which led to the APC defeat in 2022.
Your Excellency, it is a matter of courtesy that a state governor should relate with the President of the republic. Nigeria’s intergovernmental politics demands such interaction. When you granted audience to the Osun State Governor, it was in fulfillment of your position as the father of the nation, a bridge builder and a leader always a step ahead of future battle. But sir, some of your party members in Osun state are permuting at lower frequency. Their worldview appears so hollow that they cannot see what you see, they cannot comprehend the strategic moves you are making to rebuild Nigeria and soften ground for future wins. To unstrategic minds, everything starts and ends with Osun governorship. Sir, we all know a Soludo brings a lot to the table as much as the Adelekes than defeated politicians who lost their wards even while occupying state offices.
Mr. President, the attacks on Governor Adeleke are borne out of refusal to accept super performance that has been validated by local and international agencies. The opposition pushes pictures of rural access roads to claim substandard work but dogged the superbly constructed grade A roads the administration constructed totalling about 250 kilometers. The Akoda Ede road they cited is adjudged by even many APC members as one of the best. Sir, the penchant to lie is one of the reasons why the Osun APC rating is so low and the party unelectable.
Sir, permit me to make reference to the issue of a second term for both the Governor and you, the leader of the nation. You are a battle tested democrat. Your love for a free and fair contest is known to all. Nobody will request you to impose him on the people. The clarion call on you is to be the father of all by allowing free contests among your sons. Osun people will then judge using their ballot papers.
But sir, some Osun APC members are wailing because for the past one year, they have been boasting that the President will rig Osun state elections for them in 2026. They often admitted that the APC is deeply unpopular in Osun but that the President will rig for them. That shameless boast evaporated because you have accepted all Osun contenders as your sons irrespective of political affiliations. You have disowned fascists who though hated, by the people, eye power through the backdoor.
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Sir, every political party has stories of pains and victimhood from past political contests. Osun PDP lost 45 members during the 2022 state elections. In the last local government crisis, Osun PDP lost seven members. Up till now, no justice was delivered and families of victims lived in pain and agony. The state leadership of PDP embraced the difficult injunction that God gives and takes. No party should therefore blackmail another with loss of lives in previous electoral battles..
Mr President may want to be notified that any report of imminent defeat of Governor Adeleke is a baseless concoction. In 2024 alone, APC lost over 40 percent of its members to the PDP. Shortly after, former Governor Aregbesola also pulled out of the party. Sir, a recent survey results from Geopolitical Survey International (GSI) polled all political tendencies in Osun state and placed Governor Adeleke at 66 percent if elections were to be held today. This survey was conducted between April and May, 2025. The only strategy of the state APC is rigging which they openly claimed you, Mr President will activate for them. Now the veil is removed. Mr President is a leader of all and the Osun election is to be conducted under a strictly free and fair context.
I want to express my personal appreciation to you, Mr President, the capo of all Osun politicians, for displaying the highest model of character as a national leader. Your hosting the Adelekes is without doubt, a demonstration of statesmanship, a manifestation of deep understanding of current reality of Osun politics and an assurance of expanded support base for future electoral contest.
Sir, Accept the assurances of my highest regards.
●Olawale Rasheed is a publisher, an entrepreneur, a politician and special adviser to the Osun state governor.
