Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has called on residents to vote against the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the August 15 governorship election, accusing the opposition of neglecting workers during its time in office.

Adeleke made the appeal in a statement posted on his X handle on Thursday, urging eligible voters to support his re-election bid.

The governor alleged that civil servants in the state endured economic hardship under the previous APC administration, claiming many struggled to cater for their families due to the payment of half salaries.

“We will not allow the APC to take Osun back to the days when civil servants had to beg their neighbours for food.

“Those who once weaponised poverty by paying workers half salaries, leaving civil servants to struggle to feed their families and denying our people access to basic necessities are desperate to return to inflict more pain. We must never go back to those dark days,” he said.

Adeleke urged voters to participate in the August 15 poll, saying the election presents an opportunity to sustain what he described as progress and good governance in the state.

“On August 15, I urge every eligible voter to send a clear and resounding message that Osun has chosen the path of progress, compassion and good governance. Together, we will protect the mandate of the people and keep Osun moving forward,” he said.

In a separate statement, the governor defended his administration’s record on workers’ welfare, maintaining that improving the wellbeing of civil servants has remained one of his government’s priorities since assuming office.

According to him, the APC’s attitude towards civil servants was well known in the state.

“Since I became governor, I have made the welfare of our workers and the people of Osun State a top priority,” Adeleke stated.

The governor also referred to the recent freezing of the Osun State Government’s bank accounts, expressing confidence that the development would strengthen public resolve ahead of the election.

“The unjust freezing of state accounts will only strengthen the resolve of our people to do everything necessary to ensure Osun never returns to the era of darkness.

“The choice is clear: progress over regression, good governance over neglect,” he added.

The APC has yet to respond to Adeleke’s allegations.

Editor’s Note: The original report described Governor Ademola Adeleke as the “Accord governorship candidate.” Adeleke is the incumbent governor of Osun State and a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), not the Accord Party.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said it had no reason to freeze the Ekiti State Government’s bank accounts during the state’s governorship election because it had no incriminating information against the state.

The commission’s Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwujaren, stated this on Thursday during an interview on Arise Television’s Morning Show while responding to questions over the EFCC’s recent decision to freeze the Osun State Government’s account ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

Uwujaren said the action taken against Osun was not unprecedented, noting that the commission had previously taken similar action in Edo State.

According to him, the EFCC intervened in Edo after discovering that government funds were allegedly being moved into suspicious accounts.

He said the commission’s intervention enabled it to preserve about N12 billion.

“We didn’t have any reason to intervene in Ekiti the way we are intervening now in Osun. You don’t have access to the information that we have,” Uwujaren said.

He maintained that the anti-graft agency was not targeting any individual or state government but was carrying out its statutory responsibilities.

“We are not targeting anybody but simply doing our job,” he added.

The EFCC’s action against the Osun State Government has generated widespread reactions, with critics questioning the timing of the move so close to the governorship election.

President Bola Tinubu has since directed the commission to approach the court to vacate the order freezing the state’s account, saying he was “deeply embarrassed” by the timing of the action, although he reaffirmed his commitment to the operational independence of anti-corruption agencies.

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of using its influence at the federal level to punish the people of the state for voting against the party in the 2022 governorship election.

Adeleke made the allegation in a statement posted on his X handle on Thursday, ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

The governor specifically accused the APC governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, and former Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, of orchestrating actions aimed at undermining the state because of the outcome of the last governorship poll.

According to Adeleke, Oyetola and Oyebamiji repeatedly used their influence within the ruling party at the federal level to target Osun State after its residents elected him governor in 2022.

He alleged that the actions of the APC leaders adversely affected the welfare of workers and threatened the livelihoods of civil servants, traders, artisans and other residents of the state.

The governor said the forthcoming governorship election would be about more than retaining power, insisting that it would serve as a statement against what he described as attempts to undermine the will of the people.

“The August 15 election is more than just winning. It is about securing a decisive victory that sends a clear and unmistakable message to the APC that the people of Osun State must always be respected, their democratic choice must be honoured, and no one should ever seek to punish them for exercising their constitutional right to vote,” Adeleke said.

The APC has not responded to the allegations at the time of filing this report.

Editor’s Note: The original report described Governor Ademola Adeleke as the “Accord Party candidate.” Adeleke is the incumbent governor of Osun State and a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).