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Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has alleged that former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola asked him for a new car, which he gave him, before the former governor subsequently endorsed the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the August 15, 2026 governorship election, Bola Oyebamiji.
Adeleke made the allegation on Tuesday when he appeared at a town hall meeting organised by Arise News in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.
The governor also accused Oyinlola of consistently opposing members of the Adeleke family politically, despite what he described as the family’s support for the former governor.
“Oyinlola is so jealous of the Adeleke family,” Adeleke said.
He recalled that Oyinlola had contested against his late brother, Isiaka Adeleke, who was the first elected Governor of Osun State, adding that his brother had introduced Oyinlola to politics after his retirement as a military officer.
“He has never supported the Adeleke family, and we have always supported him,” the governor said.
Adeleke said Oyinlola did not support his attempts to contest for the Senate or his governorship bids in 2018 and 2022.
According to him, Oyinlola instead supported Fatai Akinbade, a former Secretary to the Osun State Government, in the 2018 governorship election.
“Throughout Osun State, they only got 7,000 votes,” Adeleke said, adding that he had consistently defeated Oyinlola and his political allies in the former governor’s hometown and even at his polling unit.
The governor further alleged that Oyinlola approached him shortly after he won the governorship election and complained that he did not have a car.
“Immediately I won, he came back to me that he didn’t have a car. I gave him a new car,” Adeleke said.
He alleged that Oyinlola subsequently moved to the Allied People’s Movement (APM) and, two days before the town hall meeting, endorsed the APC governorship candidate, Oyebamiji.
“He collected the car, went to APM, and two days ago, he endorsed the APC candidate,” Adeleke said.
Olagunsoye Oyinlola served as Governor of Osun State from 2003 to 2010.
He has remained an influential figure in the state’s politics and has been associated with different political alignments since leaving office.
The August 15, 2026 governorship election has intensified political realignments in Osun, with major political figures and former officeholders taking positions in support of competing candidates.
Adeleke, who is seeking a second term, is the candidate of the Accord Party, while Bola Oyebamiji is the APC candidate.
Oyinlola’s reported endorsement of Oyebamiji therefore comes against the backdrop of the increasingly competitive contest for the Osun governorship.
Adeleke’s claims about the alleged car gift and Oyinlola’s subsequent political decision were made during the town hall meeting and had not been independently verified at the time of filing this report.
