By John Dike , Osogbo
… assures LG crisis resolution before Dec
Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, has ruled out any political agreement to share legislative or local government positions with the All Progressives Congress in the 2027 general elections
He insisted that his emerging political alliance with the opposition party is strictly aimed at securing the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Adeleke said the coalition involving political stakeholders in the state was not designed to determine the outcomes of legislative elections or distribute elective positions among participating parties, stressing that candidates of the Accord Party would still contest for the National Assembly and Osun State House of Assembly seats.
The governor’s clarification followed reports circulating on social media suggesting that his understanding with the presidency and the APC included an arrangement to share local government positions, Senate seats, House of Representatives seats and state assembly positions between the Accord Party and the APC.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, on Wednesday, Adeleke dismissed the reports as fabricated, describing them as fake news intended to misrepresent the terms and objectives of the political alliance.
He maintained that the primary purpose of the coalition was to mobilise support for President Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, adding that the arrangement did not extend to other elective positions.
According to the governor, political parties participating in the coalition remain free to field candidates for legislative elections, while the electorate will ultimately determine the winners at the polls.
Adeleke said he would personally work and campaign for Accord Party candidates seeking election into the Senate, House of Representatives and Osun State House of Assembly.
“As I said while inaugurating the Presidential Campaign Council, the coalition is targeted at the presidential election. Partners agreed to join hands to ensure our dear president is re-elected.
All other legislative positions are open for competition,” the governor was quoted as saying.
He added that he expected all political parties to campaign for their respective candidates in the legislative elections rather than assume that the presidential alliance would translate into an automatic sharing of political offices.
“I will work and campaign for Accord candidates for Senate, House of Representatives and the State House of Assembly.
“I urge all political parties to campaign for their candidates as I will do for Accord candidates. We have no deal on the National Assembly and the State Assembly elections. All our candidates will face the electorate, who has the final say,” he stated.
The governor’s position underscores the distinction between the proposed presidential coalition and the separate political contests expected to determine representation at the federal and state legislative levels in 2027.
While the alliance is intended to bring political actors together in support of Tinubu’s re-election bid, Adeleke insisted that it does not prevent the participating parties from pursuing their individual interests in other elections.
Beyond the controversy surrounding the alleged seat-sharing arrangement, the governor also addressed the lingering local government crisis in Osun State, assuring residents that efforts were underway to resolve the dispute before December.
Adeleke said the ongoing negotiations were focused on protecting the interests of the APC chairmen and the elected Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairmen and councillors, rather than distributing political offices as part of a broader electoral bargain.
He explained that restoring effective grassroots governance remained a major consideration in the discussions, noting that the resolution of the crisis was important to the political and administrative stability of the state ahead of the 2027 elections.
“As the governor of all Osun indigenes and residents, we are working to resolve the local government matter by ensuring that all interests are protected and cared for,” he said.
The governor added that stakeholders involved in the discussions had agreed that restoring grassroots governance was a necessary condition for the success of the political mobilisation ahead of the next general elections.
“As at now, all stakeholders agreed that restoring grassroots governance is a condition for our successful campaign ahead of the 2027 elections,” he stated.
He assured the people of the state that the crisis would be resolved before December, expressing confidence that the negotiations would produce an outcome that accommodates the interests of the parties involved.
The local government dispute has remained a significant political issue in Osun, with rival claims involving APC and PDP-aligned officeholders complicating the administration of grassroots councils.
Adeleke’s latest comments suggest that the negotiations are being pursued separately from the question of how political parties will compete for legislative positions in 2027.
By distinguishing the local government discussions from the presidential coalition, the governor sought to dispel suggestions that the resolution of the council dispute would involve an agreement to share elective offices with the APC.
The governor’s declaration also provides a clearer indication of how the Accord Party intends to approach the 2027 elections in Osun.
Although Adeleke has committed to supporting Tinubu’s re-election, he said the arrangement would not prevent Accord from fielding candidates for the National Assembly and state assembly elections.
His position means that the presidential alliance should not be interpreted as an agreement by Accord to surrender legislative contests to the APC or accept a predetermined distribution of seats.
Instead, the governor maintained that candidates of the respective political parties would have to seek the support of voters through their campaigns.
The clarification comes amid heightened political realignments in Osun State ahead of the 2027 general elections, with political parties and influential figures exploring alliances to strengthen their positions.
Adeleke has repeatedly presented the proposed coalition as a platform for uniting political interests behind Tinubu’s re-election, while maintaining that the alliance does not automatically extend to other electoral contests.
His latest statement reinforces that position and seeks to address concerns that the coalition could weaken Accord’s participation in legislative elections.
For the governor, the immediate objectives are to consolidate support for the president, resolve the lingering local government crisis and allow political parties to compete independently for legislative offices.
He maintained that the ultimate decision on who occupies the various elective positions would rest with the electorate, insisting that no agreement had been reached to predetermine the outcome of the 2027 legislative elections.
