The campaign team of the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Ajibola Basiru, has disclosed that it is on a mission to dislodge Governor Ademola Adeleke come 2026 governorship election because of certain lapses it discovered in his administration.
The Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru governorship campaign team while congratulating the governor as he clocked 65, said it is not in for do-or-die kind of politics but aiming for the betterment of Osun.
A statement on behalf of the team by Aderemi Ajala on Wednesday, in Osogbo, the state capital, sent heartfelt wishes to the governor, asking Adeleke to prepare to handover to Basiru, a former Commissioner for Justice in the state.
“We want to join the good people of Osun State to celebrate our governor and brother, His Excellency, Sen. Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke as he clocked 65. For us, we nurse no hatred against him especially as he celebrates his birthday. So we congratulate him. The politics we are all involved in is because of the betterment of our state.
“Being a knowledgeable people and apart from the fact that our principal is a lawyer by profession who adheres to the tenets of democracy, we don’t see politics as a do-or-die affair. When Governor Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke defeated us in the last election, we respected the people’s wish.
“While we salute him on his birthday, we like to remind him that Sen. Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru Ph.D is contesting to unseat him because of the obvious lapses he has noticed in the current administration in our dear state,” it stated.
Revealing further reasons why Governor Adeleke should not govern Osun beyond next year, the team said, “The governance of our dear state cannot continue to be entrusted in the hands of someone like Governor Adeleke. We need a governor with idea and who is surrounded by development-driven individuals. He cannot continue to use few days in Osun and the other remaining days outside.
“We would have pardoned his frequent travels if he had capable hands to leave the administration with but no. We have, together with our principal, consulted widely and that is why he has thrown his hat in the ring. He wants to salvage the plight of our people.
“One does not need anyone to say it to know that Osun’s agricultural sector is almost dead. Nothing seems to be working under the current administration. No single company has been established or opened under this current tenure. Tourism in Osun is at its lowest patronage.
“Our educational sector has nosedived. What do we expect when teachers are sacked and not replaced. The health sector is nothing to write home about. The money accrued to the state in the last 30 months has been spent recklessly. The state government should publicly come out to tell the people how their funds are spent.
“A good leader doesn’t take the people to where they want, he takes them to where they ought to be. Our state is fast losing the gains of the past. So while we wish him all the best life can offer, we like to remind him that Sen. Basiru is contesting to unseat him. And we know the outgoing governor would be proud of his predecessor when he takes over from him in 2026.”