The Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Osun State, Dr. Tosin Odeyemi, has cautioned the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Umar Ganduje, against inciting political tension in the Southwest with his recent comments.
Ganduje, during a visit to Akure, Ondo State, on Sunday after INEC declared Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa the winner of the governorship election, expressed confidence that the APC would also win Oyo and Osun states in future elections.
In a statement issued on Monday in Osogbo, Odeyemi criticized Ganduje’s remarks, describing them as reckless and unbecoming of an elder statesman, especially given the current economic hardships Nigerians are enduring under the APC-led government.
According to Odeyemi, free and fair elections in Ondo would not have favored the APC if not for the party’s alleged reliance on vote-buying tactics, which he attributed to the deliberate impoverishment of the masses.
He said: “One would have expected Dr. Ganduje to demonstrate better communication skills befitting his position. With the economic challenges Nigerians are facing, who would willingly vote for the APC? Ganduje should not be carried away by what transpired in Ondo State.”
Odeyemi urged all political stakeholders to prioritize peace and respect voters’ choices, emphasizing that Osun residents are politically aware and would not tolerate electoral malpractice or intimidation.
“Osun people are wise and peace-loving. Each party must allow voters to decide freely. Ganduje must not turn the Southwest into a war zone. Spoken words carry weight, and 2026 must be crisis-free in Osun,” he added.
The NNPP leader further challenged Ganduje to prove the APC’s popularity by contesting in his own state, where the NNPP had previously defeated the party by a significant margin.
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