Osun State Governor and Accord Party governorship candidate, Ademola Adeleke, has said the backing of the Federal Government and some governors for the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate will not intimidate him ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
Adeleke, speaking during the Arise Townhall Meeting on Tuesday, likened himself to a “bulldozer” and insisted that the involvement of powerful political figures would not determine the outcome of the poll.
“I am a bulldozer. I am not afraid of federal might and governors backing the APC candidate. If they like, they should bring all the governors,” Adeleke said.
According to the governor, the governors campaigning for his opponent are people he considers friends and their presence in the state would not translate into votes for the APC candidate.
“Those governors are my friends. I am a civilised administrator. They won’t vote; they can only come and dance, and after the election, we will meet,” he said.
Adeleke also rejected claims that his administration had turned Osun into a militarised state.
The governor maintained that he did not have the constitutional powers to deploy the armed forces, saying such authority rests elsewhere.
“I did not militarise Osun. I have no such capacity. I am not the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces,” he said.
His comments come as political parties intensify their campaigns, mobilisation and preparations across Osun ahead of Saturday’s governorship election, with major contenders stepping up efforts to secure voters’ support.