Akinnola Faults Adeleke’s Early Tinubu Endorsement, Urges Probe of Osun Election Violence
Human rights lawyer and commentator Richard Akinnola has cautioned Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke against what he described as a premature political alignment with President Bola Tinubu, saying the governor should prioritize investigating killings and attacks recorded during the just-concluded governorship election.
In a statement issued on Monday, Akinnola said Adeleke was “putting the cart before the horse” by declaring support for Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid barely 48 hours after the polls.
“I have no problem with you supporting Tinubu’s election in January but I’m just curious. Is that what you should be saying now,” Akinnola asked.
He referenced widespread incidents reported before and during the election, including what he said were “about 30 people killed in pre-election violence,” the arrest of the Secretary to the State Government, the alleged harassment and confinement of the Speaker on election day, and claims that a Senator directed supporters to target Adeleke’s party members.
Akinnola reminded the governor that he had earlier “shouted yourself hoarse in exasperation, calling on the president and the IGP over what you considered as assault on your supporters.”
“The same people you accused of trying to undermine your re-election are the same people you are praising for allegedly ensuring a supposedly free and fair election. Approbating and reprobating at the same time, playing Hyde and Jekyll,” he said.
Using a Yoruba proverb to drive home his point, Akinnola added: “Enu ti won so pe ade o gun, ni won tun so pe ade gun,” meaning the same mouth that said the crown does not fit is now saying it fits. He questioned whether the governor’s earlier alarm was “a false flag you raised a few days to the election.”
According to him, the immediate task for the administration should be security and accountability, not national politics.
“I had thought the first thing you should do was to ask the police to thoroughly investigate these killings and for you to commiserate with the families of these victims. That should be your priority and not your allegiance to the president’s re-election which is still five months away,” he stated.
Akinnola acknowledged that supporting the president “is within your prerogative” but argued that it “shouldn’t be your priority barely 48 hours after your hard-fought victory, in an election blood was shed and your supporters did everything possible to protect your votes.”
He concluded: “Mr Governor, I’m disappointed.”
