Ahead of this month’s Osun State governorship election, the battle between the state and national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke, is intensifying, as the ruling party’s National Secretary, Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Bashiru, has urged him to stop casting aspersions on President Bola Tinubu and other APC leaders.

The ruling party’s chief scribe, in an interview with the media in Abuja on Tuesday, based his reaction on comments by Governor Adeleke, who apparently blamed President Tinubu and the immediate past governor of the state, Adegboyega Oyetola, for happenings in the state.

The Osun governor, at a campaign rally in the state, alleged that extrajudicial killings were occurring and urged President Tinubu not to turn a blind eye to the development.

He also allegedly threatened that a repeat of the 1983 political crisis would be visited on Osun State should he lose the August 15 governorship election.

Responding, the party’s scribe dismissed Adeleke’s claims, asking him to run an issue-based campaign if he truly had achievements to present to the people of Osun to earn a second term.

Bashiru argued that the governor’s outburst was born out of fear of imminent defeat, querying:

“How can a sitting governor be crying over rigging in an election coming up 11 days from now when in politics 24 hours is enough to change things.”

The former lawmaker said Adeleke’s fear was understandable, as he ought to be projecting and promoting his campaign while soliciting the votes of the people of Osun.

He pointed out that, in terms of infrastructure, more than 20 roads in Osun were in a dilapidated state, while in social services such as education, there was a deficit of about 30,000 teachers.

The party’s chief scribe further noted:

“If such roads had been fixed, they would have boosted the economy of the state and if that teachers’ deficit was addressed employment would have been created while adding value to the educational sector.”

He told Adeleke and his faction of the Accord Party that merely endorsing President Tinubu’s re-election was not a guarantee of the governor’s second term, adding that he must face his political woes squarely.

Bashiru claimed that the growing popularity of the APC and its governorship candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO), evident in the large turnouts at campaign rallies, was a nightmare for Adeleke, who had resorted to cheap blackmail to gain political sympathy.

He reinforced the position of the Osun State chapter of the APC, urging Adeleke to desist from blaming President Tinubu and Oyetola for his political woes.

He stated that competition was strange to Adeleke, which was why he was:

“crying of political persecution all over the place without any tangible proof to establish his frivolous allegations.” (The Sun)

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