A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, Dele Momodu, has declared his support for Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke ahead of the August 15 governorship election, despite belonging to a different opposition party.
Momodu, in a statement issued on Tuesday, said opposition parties needed to put aside personal and political differences and unite behind Adeleke to prevent the All Progressives Congress from retaining control of the state.
The former presidential candidate stressed that he remained a committed member of the ADC, explaining that he joined the party as part of efforts by major opposition figures to build a broad coalition against the APC.
According to him, the coalition was expected to bring opposition forces together but did not develop as originally anticipated.
Momodu said he had initially hoped that the opposition would avoid internal rivalry and build on the political strength of the ADC, which had attracted prominent figures who finished among the leading candidates in the 2023 presidential election.
Despite the failure of the proposed coalition to fully materialise, he said he remained hopeful that Nigerians could unite against what he described as the APC’s negative influence on the country.
Explaining his decision to support Adeleke, Momodu said the political situation in Osun required opposition parties to adopt a practical approach rather than allow party affiliations to determine their actions.
He argued that the best strategy was for opposition parties to support Adeleke under the Accord Party platform in the August 15 election.
Momodu insisted that his endorsement was not based on friendship or family connections. He described Adeleke as a popular political figure whose appeal, in his view, could rival that of President Bola Tinubu.
The ADC chieftain also praised Adeleke’s administration, describing the governor as one of the leading performers among Nigerian governors.
He cited areas including infrastructure, healthcare, education, workers’ welfare, agriculture, commerce, culture and youth development as evidence of Adeleke’s performance.
Momodu further urged opposition parties to avoid actions that could provide the APC with an excuse to challenge or manipulate the outcome of the election.
He maintained that, regardless of party affiliation, opposition politicians needed to work together to protect the integrity of the Osun governorship poll.
