Zainab Abioye
Businessman and elder brother of Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, Deji Adeleke, has claimed that the All Progressives Congress spent about N60bn during the August 15 governorship election, with some voters allegedly offered up to N50,000 for their votes.
Deji said he resorted to prayer rather than attempting to match what he described as the APC’s alleged financial war chest, expressing hope that voters would collect the money offered to them but still vote for his younger brother.
Speaking after the governor was declared winner of the election, Deji said reports of alleged vote-buying during the poll prompted him to seek divine intervention.
He said, “On the day of the election, when I heard about the kind of money they were spending, I went back to my little corner in my room and I knelt down and I prayed to God Almighty and I said, ‘God Almighty, let people collect their money but still vote for Ademola Adeleke.’”
According to him, “They spent N60bn as we heard. Some places they bought votes for as high as N50,000, for one single vote.”
The claim could not be independently verified from the material available, while the APC had not, as of the time of filing this report, publicly confirmed the alleged expenditure.
The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Adeleke, who contested on the platform of the Accord Party, winner of the election with 511,067 votes.
His closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the APC, polled 444,815 votes.
The result gives Adeleke a second consecutive governorship victory over the APC, after he defeated the party’s then-incumbent governor, Gboyega Oyetola, in the 2022 election.
Oyetola, now the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, remained a major figure in the APC campaign during the 2026 contest.
Deji, however, said the governor’s victory was not the result of superior financial resources or political structures, but what he described as faith in God.
He said, “The only reason why we defeated Oyetola is not because we’re bigger or spent more money than him.”
The businessman also linked his political outlook to his religious convictions, saying he regularly relied on the Bible during his prayers.
“When I kneel down to pray every day, I have some Bible passages and verses that I read and pray with. And this is part of my testimony. Isaiah 41:10,” he said.
Deji said his faith had also reduced his dependence on political connections and influential figures.
“I am not afraid or bothered about anything because my belief in God Almighty is very strong and that is why you don’t see me running after power, people in high places or competing with people to go to visit anyone,” he added.
“I’d rather ask God Almighty to help me in my little corner.”
The governor’s victory followed a closely watched election in which the major parties mounted intensive campaigns across the state.
The contest also renewed concerns over alleged vote-buying and the influence of financial inducements on electoral outcomes, issues that have continued to feature prominently in Nigeria’s elections.
The latest result means the APC will now have to rebuild its strategy in Osun after suffering two successive governorship defeats against Adeleke..
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