Olawale Rasheed urges President Tinubu to stay neutral in the Osun 2026 election, praising Adeleke’s record and warning against APC pressure

Osun 2026 governorship election has taken centre stage as Olawale Rasheed, spokesperson to Osun Governor Ademola Adeleke, penned a powerful open letter to President Bola Tinubu, appealing for political neutrality in the upcoming race.

Also read: Osun APC turmoil: AMBO supporters accused of insulting Tinubu over Adeleke visit

In the letter titled ‘Osun 2026: Open Letter to President Tinubu’, Rasheed argued that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its aspirants had become unelectable in Osun.

He noted that residents were satisfied with Adeleke’s performance and uninterested in a return to APC rule.

“You are a battle-tested democrat… the call on you is to be the father of all by allowing a free contest among your sons,” Rasheed wrote.

The letter followed Adeleke’s high-profile visit to Tinubu in Lagos alongside his brother, Dr Deji Adeleke, and nephew, music star Davido.

The visit stirred speculation of an impending defection, a rumour the APC dismissed as “desperation.” Timothy Owoeye, former Speaker of the Osun House of Assembly, declared there was no space for Adeleke in the party.

However, Rasheed defended the visit and the governor’s loyalty to the president, saying Adeleke had never attacked Tinubu and had delivered beyond expectations.

He highlighted key achievements of the Adeleke administration in less than three years.

Rasheed maintained that these achievements outweighed APC’s 12-year tenure, accusing the opposition of relying on propaganda and outdated tactics.

He called on President Tinubu to resist pressure from Osun APC leaders and preserve his reputation for fairness.

As political positioning intensifies ahead of the Osun 2026 governorship election, one of the top contenders running on the platform of APC is the former lawmaker representing Osun West, Sen. Mudashiru Oyetunde Husain.

Also read: Demola Adeleke made politically through my sacrifice, ready to unseat him – Sen. Husain

But Rasheed insists the APC has misjudged the electorate and Adeleke’s performance will secure him re-election.

Rtn. Victor Ojelabi

Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.