Political Parties Clash in Osun as APC and PDP Exchange Verbal Attacks Regarding Former Governor Oyetola
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State has issued a warning to former governor Adegboyega Oyetola, urging him to cease using President Bola Tinubu’s name to disrupt governance in the state. The party also cautioned Oyetola against his alleged disruptive activities.
In a statement released by the state chairman, Sunday Bisi, the PDP accused the former governor of being a sore loser who has been invoking Tinubu’s name to carry out political mischief in the state.
“We feel compelled to draw the attention of Mr. President and the entire Presidency to the unscrupulous activities of former Governor Oyetola, which have the potential to undermine the peace and stability of Osun state and negatively impact the presidential agenda for Osun state, the Southwest region, and Nigeria as a whole,” the statement read.
The party emphasized that while opposition parties have the right to play their role, it should not involve malicious actions aimed at destabilizing the state, misrepresenting presidential intentions, disrupting state-federal relations, or unlawfully abusing federal power against state officials performing their duties. Such behavior would be considered malignant and a direct threat to democratic values.
The PDP alleged that Oyetola has been invoking the President’s name to manipulate federal agencies for his own selfish interests. They cited instances where he allegedly diverted the SMEDAN SME program to favor his faction of the APC, neglecting other APC members and tarnishing the President’s reputation. They also claimed he did the same with rice distribution, allegedly taking supplies from NEMA and distributing them selectively instead of reaching out to the wider population of Osun as President had intended.
Rather than working towards party unity ahead of 2026, the PDP accused Oyetola of attempting to make the state ungovernable, disrupting federal-state collaboration, and using federal agencies like the FCT DSS to harass state officials. They alleged that Oyetola had deployed the FCT DSS to threaten the arrest of the spokesperson for the Osun State Governor, who was simply carrying out his duties of promoting and projecting the Governor.
The PDP warned that attempting to coerce others through intimidation would be futile, as officials and citizens are entitled to the protection of their fundamental human rights as guaranteed by the constitution. They urged the President to intervene and prevent Osun from descending into an avoidable crisis.
In response, the Osun All Progressives Congress (APC) dismissed the PDP’s claims and described Oyetola, who currently serves as the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, as a peace-loving man. The APC asserted that the PDP’s accusations were baseless and fabricated.
Tajudeen Lawal, the Chairman of Osun APC, stated through the party’s Director of Media and Information, Chief Kola Olabisi, that the PDP chairman and his associates had concocted a lie to suit their own agenda.
Lawal emphasized that Oyetola was not known for violence, and the Osun APC was renowned for its peaceful disposition, as demonstrated during Oyetola’s tenure as Governor. He cited the incident during the EndSARS protest in Osogbo, where Oyetola, despite an attempt on his life, did not abuse his office or intimidate anyone. Lawal urged the spokesperson for Governor Ademola Adeleke and other PDP members to resolve any issues they had with security agencies themselves, rather than resorting to baseless blackmail involving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Although the initial response was to ignore Sunday Bisi and his allies, the APC felt compelled to clarify the facts due to the inclusion of other issues, including the alleged misappropriation of rice from NEMA. The APC stated that the Osun PDP leaders and their handlers often relied on propaganda and cheap blackmail, while the APC remained committed to non-violence. Lawal concluded that dragging the presidency into such matters was unwarranted and lacked any foundation.
