By Charles Pemu 
OSOGBO, – The political landscape of Osun State is heating up well ahead of the 2026 gubernatorial election, as Governor Ademola Adeleke has launched a blistering attack on his predecessor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, branding his eight-year tenure as the “worst in Osun’s history.” This sharp exchange signals an early and intense start to the contest for the state’s top seat.
Governor Adeleke’s fiery remarks come directly in response to Aregbesola’s recent declaration to African Democratic Congress (ADC) supporters in Osogbo, where the former governor boldly claimed the ADC would unseat the Adeleke-led administration in 2026.
Through his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Governor Adeleke fired back, asserting that Aregbesola lacked the moral authority to speak. He accused his predecessor of leaving behind a devastating legacy of hardship, chronic financial mismanagement, and widespread institutional decay.
“Mr. Aregbesola’s empty boast about 2026 is a symptom of a troubled mind,” Adeleke stated, linking it to Aregbesola’s past policies which he claimed inflicted immense suffering on millions of Osun people. The Governor specifically pointed to the controversial half-salary policy, alleged misuse of contributory pension funds, and the withholding of cooperative deductions from civil servants under Aregbesola’s watch.
Adeleke highlighted his own administration’s efforts to rectify these issues, revealing that 28 months of the inherited half salaries have already been paid, alongside the clearance of nearly N60 billion in pension arrears. He further criticized Aregbesola for plunging the state into a cycle of “unsustainable debt,” which continues to strain Osun’s finances.
Declaring that Osun voters are “smart enough to know that the worst era for Osun State is that of Mr. Aregbesola,” Adeleke predicted a decisive rejection of Aregbesola’s influence in the upcoming polls. Describing his predecessor as a “shrew,” Adeleke issued a stern warning: 2026 will be a “payback year,” where voters will vehemently reject any return to what he termed the “dark days” of Aregbesola’s rule.
This public war of words underscores the intensifying political rivalry between the state’s past and present leadership, setting a contentious tone for the electoral battle ahead.