Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in the recently concluded Osun State election, Bola Oyebamiji, has appealed to Governor Ademola Adeleke to caution his supporters against attacking citizens, alleging that about five people were assaulted in his hometown, Ikire, in Irewole Local Government Area, on Friday, August 21, 2026. Oyebamiji made the appeal while speaking with journalists at the Presidential Villa in Abuja shortly after meeting with President Bola Tinubu, where he also urged the people of Osun State to remain calm and peaceful. The APC candidate expressed concern over what he described as continued violence against members of his party following the outcome of the August 15 governorship election, which Governor Adeleke won with 511,067 votes against Oyebamiji's 444,815 votes. He stressed the importance of conducting elections in a peaceful atmosphere and called on political leaders to work towards restoring calm and ensuring the safety of all residents.
"In my own village, Ikire, some were attacked; about four, five people were attacked. We have informed the security operatives accordingly," Oyebamiji told journalists. He appealed directly to Governor Adeleke, stating, "I want to advise the governor that it's important for him to talk to his people. Violence against our people is not too good, and he needs to talk to them so that each and every one of us can be on the same page". The APC candidate also revealed that the party was still reviewing the election results internally and would make its position known to the public after completing the process.
Responding to Oyebamiji's comments, Governor Adeleke described the APC candidate's demand for peace as "a positive tone after weeks of heated campaign and election season" and "a good development for the Osun people". In a statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the governor called for restraint by all political parties and maintained that his team had never subscribed to violence as a weapon of political campaign, even when under severe pressure. Adeleke also recounted the pain he went through in restraining his supporters from retaliating against attacks, alleging that the Accord Party lost 15 members, with 20 injured and scores detained by the police. "I am forever a man of peace. It is heartwarming that my brother, Oyebamiji, is also preaching peace. I assure him that my supporters have not and will not attack APC members," the governor declared, adding that elections had come and gone and that all stakeholders should join hands to take Osun to greater heights.
The development comes amid heightened political tension in Osun State following the announcement of the election results, with both parties trading accusations over post-election violence. The APC had earlier condemned alleged attacks on its members and supporters in Iree, Boripe Local Government Area, following the declaration of Governor Adeleke as the winner. Gunmen had also attacked Governor Adeleke's convoy in Osogbo on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, shortly after he left the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo, triggering an exchange of gunfire. The police have since recovered a Toyota Sienna linked to the attack on the governor's convoy. As Osun State moves beyond the election, the calls for peace from both Oyebamiji and Adeleke offer a glimmer of hope that political actors on all sides are willing to de-escalate tensions and prioritise the welfare of the people. However, the reported attacks on Oyebamiji's village and the lingering accusations of political violence underscore the fragility of the peace and the urgent need for security agencies to investigate the incidents and hold perpetrators accountable.
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