‘Look in the mirror if you’re looking for failure,’ Adeleke knocks Aregbesola over threats of ADC winning Osun in 2026

Governor Ademola Adeleke has said Osun state is still reeling from the impact of Rauf Aregbesola’s “inhumane and reckless” leadership during his tenure as governor.

Aregbesola was governor of Osun from 2010 to 2018 and later served as minister of interior from 2019 to 2023.

In a statement issued on Monday by Olawale Rasheed, his spokesperson, Adeleke accused Aregbesola of leaving behind a “legacy of debt, hardship, and failed projects.”

Adeleke’s remarks came in response to Aregbesola’s recent comment that his party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), would unseat the governor in the 2026 election.

The Osun governor described Aregbesola as “a man who should be apologising to Osun people but is instead making threats despite his legacy of pain and hardship”.

He also described Aregbesola’s tenure as “the worst in Osun history”.

“The empty boast of Mr Aregbesola about 2026 is a symptom of a troubled mind who sees wrong visions, who is battling his benefactor, and who is haunted by the pains and suffering he inflicted on millions of Osun people through his evil policies and programmes,” the statement reads.

“A man who should be remorseful and tender public apologies for his years of maladministration has the audacity to threaten Governor Adeleke, who is clearing the mess left behind by Mr Aregbesola after his eight years of anti-people, thoughtless leadership.

“Mr Aregbesola’s wickedness against workers, public servants, and Osun people knew no bounds while he wielded state power.

“A man who introduced half salary, misapplied the contributory state pension fund, and misused the state cooperative deductions fund should be ashamed of his temerity to attack a governor who is now paying up the half-salary affliction, clearing the unjustified debt, and rehabilitating brutalised Osun workers.

“The Adeleke administration has paid 28 months out of the half salaries left behind by Mr Aregbesola. The present administration has paid close to 60 billion naira in pension debt, a legacy of this same Aregbesola.

“Pensioners and workers generally are not praying for a return to the evil days of a bad administrator who left his state in ruin after eight years.”

Adeleke claimed that he has outperformed Aregbesola in less than three years without borrowing to fund infrastructure.

He listed his government’s achievements to include the construction of over 200 kilometres of roads, the rehabilitation of more than 200 schools and health centres, and free health insurance for over 30,000 pensioners.

The governor also mentioned free surgeries for over 60,000 residents, completion of abandoned university projects, and the full take-off of the University of Ilesa as part of his achievements.

“If Aregbesola is looking for failure, he should look in the mirror,” Adeleke said.

“He couldn’t dualise the palace-to-brewery junction road in Ilesa, but we are now executing flyovers in Ife and Osogbo and dualisation projects in Iwo.”

Adeleke said Osun people can clearly tell the difference between a government that serves them and one that betrayed their trust.

“Under Aregbesola, pensioners died in despair, and lives were shattered by unpaid salaries and debt. No one in Osun wants to return to those dark days,” he said.

He said his administration’s policies—from local content to a non-borrowing fiscal approach—have earned recognition and support from the people.

“He (Aregbesola) is like a shrew that does not realise it reeks,” the governor said.

“The year 2026 will be a reckoning—the people will punish those who brought them suffering and pain.”