Osun

2026: Oyebamiji Is A ‘Weakling’, Won’t Win His Local Government – Salam

ByOlamilekan Adigun

PublishedApril 15, 2026

Says APC Challenging Adeleke’s Position As Work Commissioner Should First Query President Tinubu

The lawmaker representing Ede North/ Ede South/ Egbedore and Ejigbo Federal Constituency, Hon. Bamidele Salam, has described the candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the August 15 gubernatorial election as a ‘weakling’, who will not win his local government in the poll.

The lawmaker, who stated this when he appeared on Channels Television, also frowned at the transfer of the Osun Resident Electoral Commissioner, alleging that the move was partisan.

The Accord Party chieftain said the people of Osun State are ready to re-elect Governor Ademola Adeleke, adding that the governor has justified the mandate given to him in 2022 and has earned greater acceptability.

He said, “Perhaps, the President doesn’t know that the APC has a weakling as a candidate. He cannot even deliver his own local government (Irewole). I don’t know which four local governments they can win in Osun.

“He has justified that mandate and successfully earned greater acceptability than he had when he defeated the incumbent governor in 2022. Anyone who is committed to people’s welfare will be proud to be associated with him.

“The decision to transfer the INEC REC appears to have been driven by partisan considerations and is ill-informed. When a REC prepares for an election, many things go into it, and you don’t come in the middle of that preparation and transfer the REC without any justification or noble intent.

“The last I checked, there
are like 20 petitions about the INEC chairman himself. Does that mean he should resign? When there is a petition, there is a principle of fair hearing. Before the last gubernatorial election in Anambra State, there were quite a number of petitions against the REC in the state, was he transferred?

“Before the election in Ondo, the present REC who has been transferred to Osun had a series of petitions including court cases against her, was she removed? Why should Osun case be different? Those who are making the allegations should show proof to the effect that the man who was removed had any partisan bias.”

Speaking further, Salam slammed the Osun APC over its criticism of Governor Adeleke serving as the Commissioner for Works, noting that President Bola Tinubu also doubles as the Minister of Petroleum.

“They should first go to court against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who made himself the Minister of Petroleum Resources. You first remove the log from your eyes before you remove the speck from somebody’s eye. The governor wanted a ministry he could supervise for efficiency, effectiveness and impact and he has made that impact.”

Salam also dismissed some comments made by the Director General of the APC gubernatorial campaign committee, Hon. Wole Oke, on the current administration.

“Wole Oke is probably far away from home. I know he doesn’t come home until election periods, so maybe because of that, he doesn’t know. In his own local government, there are ongoing road and bridge projects. There is a bridge linking about five areas which have been abandoned for the past 15 years and Hon Wole Oke could not use his influence at the national assembly to fix, it is Governor Adeleke who is fixing it.

“I am challenging him, and I don’t mind, I can foot the bill, for him and me to go round Osun State and get television stations to film these things and get to know who is saying the truth or not. If Wole Oke and the APC are not happy that we are developing Osogbo, Ede, and Ile-Ife, let them go out and tell the people of these local governments not to vote for them because Adeleke is concentrating resources on them,” he added.

Olamilekan Adigun

Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.