Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has declared that he is not intimidated by the political weight of President Bola Tinubu and APC governors backing his opponent ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
Adeleke, who is contesting under the Accord Party, dismissed concerns over the growing support for APC governorship candidate Bola Oyebamiji.
Speaking ahead of the election, the governor described himself as a “bulldozer” and insisted that federal political influence would not determine the outcome of the election.
“I am not worried that I am contesting against a party that has 34 governors; I am a bulldozer,” Adeleke said, according to reports on his remarks.
The governor’s comments come as APC leaders intensify their campaign for Oyebamiji in the state.
Tinubu and several APC governors have been involved in efforts to boost the ruling party’s chances of taking control of Osun, which is currently governed by Adeleke.
Adeleke, however, maintained that the presence of federal power and governors would not scare him or determine the choice of Osun voters.
The governor’s confidence comes amid an increasingly charged political atmosphere ahead of Saturday’s election.
The election has attracted national attention, with several prominent political figures and parties campaigning aggressively for their preferred candidates.
Adeleke has also repeatedly urged residents to resist violence and protect the integrity of the electoral process.
The APC, meanwhile, has continued to project Oyebamiji as a candidate capable of taking over the state and ending Adeleke’s administration.
With the election only days away, the contest has increasingly become a test of whether the incumbent governor can withstand the combined political machinery being mobilised against him.
Adeleke’s “bulldozer” declaration has now become one of the latest expressions of confidence from the governor as both camps make their final push for votes.