Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has described the tenure of former governor Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola as the worst the state has ever experienced.
Reacting to Aregbesola’s recent threat to unseat him in 2026, Adeleke, through a statement by his spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, in Osogbo on Monday, said Osun is still reeling from the adverse effects of Aregbesola’s administration.
He described the former governor as “a man who left behind a legacy of massive state debt, half salaries, scam tablets, and numerous inflated, uncompleted projects,” labelling his tenure as “the worst in Osun’s history.”
Aregbesola, currently the interim national secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), had on Sunday declared at Oranmiyan House in Osogbo, before thousands of supporters, that his party’s primary goal is to unseat Adeleke in the next governorship election.
In response, Adeleke stated, “Mr Aregbesola’s empty boast about 2026 reflects a troubled mind plagued by misguided visions, battling his benefactors, and haunted by the pain and suffering he inflicted on millions of Osun residents through his oppressive policies and programmes.
“A man who ought to be remorseful and apologise publicly for years of misgovernance now has the audacity to threaten Governor Adeleke, who is focused on cleaning up the mess left by his eight years of anti-people, thoughtless leadership.
“Mr Aregbesola’s cruelty towards workers, public servants, and the entire Osun populace was boundless during his time in power. A man who implemented half salaries, misapplied pension funds, and misused cooperative deductions should be ashamed to attack a governor now working to clear unpaid salaries, reduce unjustified debt, and restore dignity to Osun workers.”
