Dele Momodu, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, has said the August 15 Osun State governorship election should not be viewed as a contest between Governor Ademola Adeleke and the All Progressives Congress, but as a battle between the incumbent governor and President Bola Tinubu.
Momodu, who is supporting Adeleke despite being a member of the ADC, said his decision was based on his commitment to the coalition of opposition parties and his belief that opposition politicians should work together against the ruling party.
The publisher of Ovation International magazine stated this on Wednesday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
He explained that he joined the ADC because of its stated plan to bring opposition parties together ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to him, his decision to support Adeleke in the Osun election is part of the same effort to unite opposition forces.
“When I joined ADC, I joined a party that promoted coalition of opposition parties. So, what I am demonstrating now is that opposition must come together today,” Momodu said.
The ADC chieftain said he had consulted some political elders before announcing his support for the incumbent governor.
He added that he regarded Adeleke and the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, as the two major contenders in the election.
Momodu, however, argued that the real political contest went beyond the two candidates and involved the influence of President Tinubu.
“The battle in Osun is not a contest between Adeleke and the APC, it is between Adeleke and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.
He claimed that the APC did not have enough political strength to defeat Adeleke in the state, insisting that even people within the ruling party were aware of the governor’s popularity.
“APC is no match for Adeleke in Osun, everybody agrees on that. They can make all the noise and all the hulabaloo, but I can tell you today that even the Presidency knows, and I have a lot of friends in APC, they know they cannot match Ademola Adeleke,” Momodu said.
His comments came three days before the governorship election, as political parties and their candidates enter the final stage of their campaigns and mobilisation.
The election has attracted significant attention because of the political importance of Osun and the wider struggle between the ruling APC and opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Adeleke, who is seeking another term, is facing Oyebamiji of the APC and Najeem Salam of the ADC, among other candidates.
Momodu’s decision to back Adeleke has therefore created an unusual political situation, with an ADC chieftain openly supporting a candidate who is not representing his party.
He acknowledged that his party had its own candidate in the election but appealed to the ADC leadership to allow him to support Adeleke.
“But I’m a democrat. If my party says they are not ready to back him, that is fine. On this occasion, they should please loan me to Ademola Adeleke. I’m begging them to do that,” he said.
Momodu said his support for Adeleke was also influenced by his long-standing personal relationship with the governor.
He described Adeleke as a close friend and his “twin brother”, explaining that the two men were born only three days apart in May 1960.
According to him, their relationship had remained strong over the years, and this was another reason for his decision to support the governor.
Momodu also defended Adeleke against what he described as political bullying and intimidation.
“He’s being bullied, he’s being intimidated, and all men and women of good conscience should rise up whether you are in our party or wherever,” he said.
He further praised the governor’s performance in office and urged people from different political parties to support him.
“Even if I was not in ADC, I would still have supported Ademola. He’s a fantastic soul. Only a wicked man will see the good work he has done in Osun State and ignore it,” Momodu said.
The comments have added another dimension to the already competitive Osun governorship contest.
The election is being closely watched because of the history of political competition in the state and the growing alignment of political forces ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Osun has traditionally been a major political battleground in the South-West. The state has witnessed close contests between the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party, with control changing hands between the two parties.
Adeleke defeated the then incumbent APC governor, Gboyega Oyetola, in the 2022 governorship election after a closely fought contest.
His victory returned the PDP to power in the state and made Adeleke one of the party’s prominent governors in the South-West.
The forthcoming election is therefore seen as an opportunity for the governor to seek a fresh mandate while the APC is seeking to regain control of the state.
The APC candidate, Oyebamiji, is a former Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning in Osun State and a former Managing Director of the state-owned Osun State Investment Company.
The ADC is also seeking to make an impact through its candidate, Salam, as the party positions itself as part of the wider opposition coalition.
The coalition idea has become increasingly important in Nigeria’s opposition politics as several parties and political groups explore ways of challenging the dominance of the APC ahead of 2027.
Momodu’s position reflects the difficulty that opposition parties may face in maintaining a common position at state level while pursuing a broader national coalition.
While the ADC has fielded Salam in Osun, one of its prominent members is supporting Adeleke, arguing that the immediate objective should be to prevent the ruling party from consolidating its influence.
Momodu’s argument is that opposition parties must be prepared to support one another where necessary, even when they have candidates of their own.
His comments also suggest that the Osun election is being viewed as part of a wider political struggle ahead of 2027.
By framing the contest as “Adeleke against Tinubu”, Momodu linked the state election to the growing national rivalry between the President and opposition forces.
President Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State and a leading figure in the APC, has considerable political influence in the South-West. His administration has also faced growing criticism from opposition parties over economic and political issues.
The APC has been working to strengthen its structures across the region ahead of the 2027 elections, while opposition groups are exploring possible alliances to challenge the ruling party.
For Momodu, the Osun election provides an opportunity to demonstrate whether opposition forces can work together despite differences in party affiliation.
However, his support for Adeleke may also test his relationship with the ADC, particularly because the party has its own candidate in the election.
Momodu has acknowledged the situation and appealed to his party to permit him to support the governor on this occasion.
The final days before the election are expected to witness intense political mobilisation, with candidates seeking to secure the support of voters across the state.
The Independent National Electoral Commission is responsible for conducting the election, while security agencies are expected to ensure that voters, electoral officials and other participants are protected.
The outcome will not only determine who governs Osun for the next term but could also offer an indication of the strength of the APC, PDP-aligned forces and emerging opposition coalitions in the South-West.
For Momodu, however, the choice is clear. He believes Adeleke remains the stronger candidate and has urged opposition supporters and other voters to rally behind the governor.