If Anything Happens To You, Hold Adeleke Responsible, APC Chieftain Tells Osun Journalists

By Tosin Olasunkanmi, Osogbo

Former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Adebayo Adeleke popularly called Banik has urged media practitioners in Osun State to always uphold the principle of objectivity in their reportage .

Adeleke gave the charge, on Tuesday, while addressing members of Osun Online Publishers Association during their 8th edition of Media Parlay, held in Osogbo, Osun State capital.

He said media practitioners should discharge their legal work without fear of intimidation from any quarters.

According to the APC Chieftain, the journalists in the state should not bow to any pressure from the Governor Adeleke-led PDP Government.

He alleged there are plans by the state government to stifle dissent and media freedom, warning that if any journalist is attacked or harmed, the public should hold Governor Adeleke accountable.

“Hold Adeleke Responsible If Anything Happens to Any Journalist”

“If any harm comes to Osun journalists, Adeleke will be held accountable. You’re simply reporting statements from political parties, not expressing your own opinions, and shouldn’t face attacks for doing your job,” he said. He urged journalists to stand firm against intimidation and maintain their commitment to objective reporting.

He also lamented on how Irewole Local Government Chairman, Hon.Remi Abass was murdered due to the political violence that erupted in the course of implementing the Court of Appeal ruling, which according to him reinstated council officials, elected at the tail end of the former Governor Gboyega Oyetola administration.

Adeleke who condemned gruesome killing of Abass and other members of APC during the fracas alleged that the state government had concluded plans to cause another crisis by procuring a court judgement from a state high court siting in Ikirun.

He decried how insecurity is rampaging in the state, referencing to persistent communal crisis between the neighboring Ifon, Erin-Osun and Ilobu communities .

He raised concerns about rising insecurity across various communities in Osun State. He referenced incidents in:

“Egbedi, where hoodlums were seen openly wielding AK-47 rifles.

Esa Oke, where he claimed police officers were killed during a communal clash allegedly involving a non-indigene king.

Ido-Osun, where an airport project was controversially moved to Ede, Adeleke’s hometown, without proper consultation.

Ifon-Erin-Osun, where he said communal clashes have occurred eight times under Adeleke’s watch.

He lamented that despite these crises, the governor has reportedly refused to meet with traditional rulers of the affected communities, instead delegating an Amotekun officer to represent him.

“Adeleke refused to sit with the kings. That’s a failure in governance capacity. How can you be a governor and not meet your traditional rulers in time of crisis?”

He condemned what he called a “kangaroo election” conducted by the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), describing it as illegal and manipulated.

“That election was nothing but a PDP-induced kangaroo show.”

Budget Irregularities and Alleged Financial Mismanagement

The APC chieftain accused the Adeleke-led administration of gross financial mismanagement, citing the sudden jump in the budget of the office of the governor from 6 billion naira in 2022 to N13 billion in 2023 as claimed by the Adeleke administration which was eventually revealed that the office of the governor spent 19.2 billion naira for the government office in 2023 amounting to exra-budgetary spending which is impeachable offence.

“You are doing big roads to deceive Osun people. We did roads under Oyetola without any fanfare. Now they’re bringing in ex-leaders like Baba Obasanjo to commission uncompleted projects.”

Banik also berated Governor Ademola Adeleke over his alleged disregard for Islamic tenets, accusing him of being a Christian disguising as a Muslim for political gain during the ection.

“It is a rape on Islam. A governor who claims to be a Muslim doesn’t know that his forehead must touch the ground when he prays? This is a big disgrace. We’ve seen his dancing in celestial churches. The Muslim community sees and notes everything,” Banik stated.

“Governor Adeleke allegedly pretended to be a Muslim during his election campaign to avoid being labeled as part of a ‘Christian-Christian ticket’. However, he has never genuinely portrayed himself as a Muslim and is reportedly a Christian who prioritized political gain over authenticity

He further accused Adeleke of hypocrisy, arguing that religion is only used as a political card during elections but disregarded in governance.