Why Oyetola Still ‘Towers’ Over Adeleke as Osun Braces for 2026 Power Struggle

In a political climate increasingly driven by viral clips and choreography, a brewing debate in Osun State is pitting the “quiet discipline” of the past against the “theatrical populist” style of the present. A stinging assessment of the state’s leadership on Monday has suggested that former Governor Gboyega Oyetola still maintains a superior benchmark of governance over his successor, Ademola Adeleke, despite being out of the Governor’s Lodge for over three years.

The critique, which has set social media ablaze, argues that the “State of Harmony” Oyetola left behind rooted in fiscal spreadsheets and institutional restraint is being overshadowed by an administration that prioritizes “optics over outcomes.” While Governor Adeleke has enjoyed significant popularity for his accessible, music-filled style, critics point to a lack of structural depth, alleging that Osun is currently witnessing an explosion of “entertainment governance” that fails to solve long-term economic pressures.

“Oyetola did not arrive with fanfare; he arrived with spreadsheets,” the analysis noted, referencing the former governor’s record of paying four years of salaries and pensions without taking a single commercial loan. The current administration, however, has been characterized by “abrupt reversals and institutional shocks,” including the controversial mass sacking of workers early in its tenure and ongoing legal battles over local government funding.

The rivalry took a sharper turn this past weekend when Oyetola, through his aides, launched a blistering counter-attack against Adeleke’s claims regarding a $20 million World Bank health grant. The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy described the allegations as a “desperate smokescreen” intended to hide the “wholesale collapse” of primary healthcare under Adeleke’s watch.

As Osun approaches its next decisive election cycle in late 2026, the contrast between the two leaders has become the central theme of the campaign. For the APC, Oyetola represents a “trustee” who saved when others spent; for the PDP, Adeleke represents a “liberator” who brought life back to a “psychologically fatigued” state.

With the APC recently concluding a unified primary process under Oyetola’s supervision, the stage is set for a battle between “style and substance.” Whether the voters of Osun prefer the “quiet financial sanity” of the Oyetola era or the “vibrant populist energy” of the Adeleke administration will be the ultimate test of the 2026 polls.