Oyetola hits back at PDP over alleged plot to rig Osun 2026 Governorship Election
Oyetola, Adeleke
I’mThe Office of the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, His Excellency Adegboyega Oyetola, has strongly denied allegations made by the Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), describing them as false, malicious, and politically motivated.
REPUBLICAN NIGERIA recalls that PDP had accused the former governor of plotting to use federal power to rig the 2026 governorship election in Osun State.
Reacting, in a statement issued on Monday by Dr. Bolaji Akinola, Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister, Oyetola refuted claims that he had made comments about rigging the 2026 Osun State governorship election. The statement labelled the PDP’s press release as “a shameful and poorly scripted” attempt to smear the former Osun State Governor.
According to Akinola, the PDP’s accusations are part of a broader “smear campaign” driven by fear and the party’s dwindling popularity in the state. “Every single claim in the PDP’s concocted tale is false, malicious, and baseless,” the statement read.
The statement said Oyetola remains committed to democratic principles and the rule of law, both as a former governor and in his current ministerial role. The statement also dismissed the PDP’s insinuations about control over federal institutions such as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Police, or the Attorney General of the Federation, calling such claims “laughable and insulting.”
The APC chieftain further denied allegations relating to local government allocations and judicial rulings, accusing the PDP of distorting facts to cover up what it termed as governance failures in Osun State.
The minister’s office challenged the PDP to provide verifiable evidence — such as recordings or official documentation — to substantiate its claims. “Until then,” the statement continued, “the world should treat their statement as nothing but the dying gasp of a political party on the verge of another resounding electoral defeat.”
The Minister reaffirmed the APC’s commitment to credible elections in Osun State and across the country, urging residents to disregard what he described as political distractions from the ruling party in the state.
