By John Dike, Osogbo
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has dismissed allegation that the Marine and Blue Economy minister, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, planned to rig the state’s coming governorship election.
In a statement by its state chairman, Sooko Tajudeen Lawal, the party described the allegation as baseless, fabricated, and a desperate attempt to mislead the public.
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the ruling party in the state, had earlier accused Oyetola, a former governor of the state, of plotting to rig next year’s Osun governorship election using federal might, including the police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Also, it alleged that he was lobbying the Attorney-General of the Federation to open access to withheld local government allocations for reinstated APC council officials.
It dismissed the claims as “concocted lies” intended to discredit Oyetola’s image and deflect attention from the internal crises plaguing the PDP.
“It is disheartening that a ruling party in Osun could stoop so low as to fabricate barefaced lies against a respected figure like Alhaji Oyetola just to gain cheap political advantage,” Lawal said.
According to the APC, no such meeting where Oyetola allegedly made the rigging remarks ever took place, and there is no video or audio evidence to support the PDP’s claims.
The party insisted that the matter of local government funds had already been resolved by a February 10, 2025 Court of Appeal judgment and that there was no need for any backdoor lobbying.
The APC further said that the PDP’s actions are driven by fear and declining popularity, especially as many of its members have defected to the opposition party.
Lawal accused Governor Ademola Adeleke and PDP leaders of being “paranoid” and resorting to propaganda following the governor’s unsuccessful attempt to join the APC.
He said, “They are haunted by their own shadows and consumed by fear of defeat,
“The PDP has become a party struggling to stay afloat, blaming Oyetola for every political setback.”
APC also recalled alleged previous unsubstantiated claims made by PDP Chairman Sunday Bisi, including accusations against the Inspector-General of Police and allegations of arms stockpiling by the APC, both of which, it said, were proven to be false.
On election security, the party warned that it would not tolerate a repeat of the electoral violence it claims marred the 2022 and 2023 elections, during which over 30 APC members were allegedly killed.
“If Governor Adeleke and his party believe they will again allow voting to stretch into 11:00 p.m. like they did in parts of Ede during the 2022 elections, they are mistaken. Such practices will be met with firm legal resistance,” Lawal stated.
APC urged the public to disregard what it called “a campaign of lies” by the PDP and reaffirmed its commitment to lawful and peaceful political engagement ahead of the 2026 elections.
Osun 2026: PDP petitions Tinubu, global community over Oyetola’s alleged rigging plan
