By Emma Nnadozie
A former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State, Dr. Kunle Akindele, has dismissed the parallel governorship primaries reportedly conducted by the Accord Party over the weekend, describing them as a charade and insisting that Governor Ademola Adeleke remains the man to beat in the next governorship election in the state.
Akindele, who currently serves as Special Adviser to Governor Adeleke on Public Health, said the so-called primaries were a “kangaroo exercise” allegedly sponsored by individuals intimidated by the governor’s growing popularity across the state.
According to him, Governor Adeleke’s decision to move to the Accord Party following the crisis within the PDP reflects the will of the people, who, he said, have resolved to stand by the governor because of his performance across all senatorial districts and local government areas in Osun.
He described the alleged parallel primary as a fraudulent afterthought that was not monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as required by law, noting that it came a week after Governor Adeleke had emerged as the sole and unanimous governorship candidate of the Accord Party for the 2026 election.
“The so-called primaries are part of attempts by disgruntled politicians to frustrate Governor Adeleke,” Akindele said. “The question is: why are they afraid? Why are they engaging in these shenanigans to stop the governor from appearing on the ballot?”
He added that the people of Osun State, including civil servants, remain firmly behind the governor, pointing out that despite the alleged withholding of local government funds through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Governor Adeleke has continued to ensure the payment of local government workers’ salaries.
Akindele further claimed that intelligence reports linked those behind the alleged parallel primaries to the same group opposing the governor, stressing that the authentic Accord Party primary was conducted by the party’s National Working Committee and duly witnessed by INEC.
Highlighting the governor’s achievements, Akindele cited improvements in health, education and infrastructure, saying the people of Osun were more interested in good governance than party affiliation.
“Osun people are not particularly interested in political parties; they are interested in Governor Adeleke and his performance,” he said. “All they want is good governance for another four years, and that is why they are sticking with him.”
He expressed confidence that with another term, Osun State would rank among the best-governed states in Nigeria, adding that this prospect, he said, explains the desperation of those trying to stop the governor.
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