The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reprimanded the Blue Economy Minister, Adegboyega Oyetola over his alleged threats to rig the 2026 governorship elections in Osun state.
In a statement issued and signed by the party state chairman, Hon Sunday Bisi at Osogbo and distributed to newsmen, the PDP raises alarm over the grand plot reportedly disclosed to the APC state caucus meeting last Friday by the Minister, describing the alleged utterances as “the most brazen declaration of intent to destroy democracy and a condemnable signal to abuse state power to deny Osun people the legitimate rights to choose their leader in a democracy.”
The statement reads further: “The Osun state chapter of the PDP is alarmed by several media reports of some inciting statements credited to the former Governor of Osun state and current Minister of Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola on his role in the withholding of Osun local governments allocations and the plan to thwart the will of electorates in the forthcoming 2026 governorship elections.
“We waited for more than 48 hours with the expectations that the Minister will deny the reports but till now, he has remained silent. We are encouraged therefore to belief that the Minister actually made those threatening remarks.
“For records purpose, the Minister was alleged to have told the closed door, high level caucus meeting of the party the following:
“I blocked Gov Adeleke from joining the APC. Otherwise, all your ambitions would have been in jeopardy.
“I gave a guarantee to Mr. President that APC can win in Osun without Governor Adeleke;
“We lost the 2022 election because Buhari refused to instruct INEC and the Police to work for APC;
“I have secured the Cooperation of the Police and INEC to ensure that APC wins the Osun 2026 Gubernatorial Election;
“I have employed federal might to prevail upon the Attorney General of the Federation not to recognize the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which clearly recognized the election of the PDP chairmen and councilors.
“The Attorney General is working on a loophole that will allow the withheld local government funds to be released to the court- sacked APC chairmen and Councilors.
“Otherwise, the Osun State withheld funds will not be released until after the Gubernatorial Election in 2026, in order to turn the grassroots against Governor Adeleke.”
The PDP noted that “As a party, we have no issue with the Minister’s position on the recent defection politics, we however challenge the Minister to deny and clarify other statements he allegedly made at the said state caucus meeting as they pose serious danger to democratic practice, undermine the credibility of critical state institutions and constitute gross abuse of powers and violations of the constitution.
“While we are of the considered view that President Bola Tinubu is not aware of the open threats to sack democracy in Osun by his cousin and the Minister of Blue economy, we call on Mr President to sanction the Minister for dragging the names of the Federal Government into disrepute.
“We also call on Mr President to counter-order the Attorney General of the Federation to obey the Court of Appeal judgement which recognizes the duly elected PDP chairmen and councilors and release Osun state local government allocations without further delay.
“We are also alerting men of goodwill and the diplomatic community of the open declaration of war on the people of Osun state by a Minister who is still bitter about his rejection at the poll by the good people of Osun state in 2022.
“We inform the global community of an open genocidal threat to democratic practice as Osun people will defend their votes irrespective of the threats from anti-democratic elements”, the PDP statement.
The party statement declared that Osun people rejects threats and intimidation as a tool for politicking, vowing that Governor Adeleke will win the 2026 election because he has solid support of the people as his governance records are superlative and he has God who gives and takes power.
