By Ede, Osun State — Two affiliated groups, the Imole Disciples Youth Movement and the Imole Disciples Women of Integrity, operating out of Imole House on Gbongan-Ibadan Road, Osogbo, convened a gathering of women and youth from across Osun State’s local government areas on Sunday to declare support for the reelection of Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party ahead of the August 15 governorship election in Ede.
The event was held under the banner “One Good Term Deserves Another — Imole Till 2030.” Attendees rallied behind the governor under the Accord Party.
The programme opened with prayers for Governor Adeleke, with both Christian clergy and Muslim clerics in attendance, reflecting the interfaith character of the gathering, Expected to be in attendace, Hon. Ajileye Kazeem Akinleye, Chief of Staff to the Governor’s Office in Abere, Osogbo; Yeyeluwa Modupe Adeleke-Sanni, the Abiyamo Akoko of Osun State, who serves as Ground Matron of the movement; and Hon. Mrs. Funmilayo Oladapo, the group’s Chairperson and State Coordinator.
Ifedayo Calls for Grassroots Mobilisation
Chaired at the state level by Hon. Mrs. Funmilayo Oladapo, popularly known as Ifedayo, the coalition brought together women and youth from different local governments.
Speaking at the event, Ifedayo urged participants to see the gathering as a rallying point to unite behind Adeleke, advising members to be proactive in their wards and units and to encourage at least two other people each to support the governor’s development record, according to her remarks.
Asejere Urges Turnout, Warns Against Intimidation
Alhaji Ganiyu Ayobami Olaoluwa, popularly known as Asejere, the immediate past Osun State Commissioner for Rural Development and Community Affairs and the Accord Party’s candidate for the Osun Central Senatorial District in the 2027 general elections, urged members to turn out en masse on August 15 to vote for Adeleke.
He told the gathering that tactics of fear and intimidation from the opposition would end at the dawn of election day, and he encouraged members to canvass peacefully without instigating or engaging in violence.
Abere Soose Calls for Calm
Hon. Afolabi Lukman, popularly known as Abere Soose, urged attendees to remain proactive in grassroots engagement. He referenced what he described as pressure currently facing party members and said he believed relief was near if members remained united in support of the governor.
Yeyeluwa Modupe Adeleke-Sanni did not attend and was represented by Abere Soose and two of her “children.” Organizers said her absence was due to efforts to secure the release of a group of Accord members whom they said had been arrested by the Osun State Police Command. Organizers characterized this as an attempt to detain key figures within the party ahead of election day; this characterization has not been independently verified.
Alhaja Hauwa Folake Ahmed, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Energy encouraged members not to relent or be intimidated, telling attendees she had come from her political ward and intended to continue canvassing support for the governor in other areas.
Closing Remarks and Group Leadership
Closing the event, Oladapo thanked Yeyeluwa Modupe Adeleke-Sanni for her contribution, saying the programme would not have been possible without her support. She also acknowledged Hon. Ajileye Kazeem Akinleye and Hon. Bankole Omisore, popularly known as Bankz, for their support of the group, noting that Omisore had wished to attend but was unavoidably absent.
She went on to lay out the group’s leadership structure, naming Yeyeluwa Modupe Adeleke-Sanni as Ground Matron, Hon. Ajileye Kazeem Akinleye as Grand Patron, Hon. Bankole Omisore as Adviser, Mama Baliki as Matron, and Hon. Michael Adeshina Alaran as President.
Ifedayo said the group’s endorsement of Adeleke was tied to his developmental record in the state. She said that despite the withholding of local government allocations for over two years, the governor had not owed civil servants’ salaries and had continued to settle retirees’ entitlements.
Allegations of Targeting Against Accord Members
Hon. Ifedayo also cautioned attendees to remain vigilant, alleging that opposition party members were actively pursuing Accord members, which she said accounted for the absence of some guests. As an example, she cited the case of a woman who had served as an aide to a federal lawmaker who defected to the All Progressives Congress; the woman, according to Ifedayo, refused to defect alongside him and was reportedly in hiding, sharing a location with nine others after fleeing her home amid alleged threats from armed thugs. Ifedayo said this reflected the situation facing several other Accord members.
She further acknowledged the contributions of Yeyeluwa Modupe Adeleke-Sanni, Hon. Ajileye Kazeem Akinleye, Hon. Bankole Omisore, and others to the group’s work.
Alaran on the Group’s Purpose and the Governor’s Record
Hon. Michael Adeshina Alaran, a Gbongan, Ayedaade Local Government indigene and Commissioner II of the Local Government Service Commission, who serves as the group’s president, said the organisation was formed to canvass votes from non-party members and to communicate that the state’s current development represents, in his words, only the beginning of what Adeleke intends to achieve if reelected.
He attributed the governor’s leadership qualities to his family background, describing it as one with a longstanding history of fulfilling promises, philanthropy, and support for good governance. He pointed to flyover construction, road projects, and growth in the health and agriculture sectors as evidence of what he called a transparent, blueprint-driven approach to governance. He said this record informed the group’s selection of individuals to canvass on the governor’s behalf across party lines, adding that the administration had included both indigenes and non-indigenes in political appointments.
Call for Peaceful Conduct
Alaran urged all present to remain peaceful, comply with INEC guidelines, and safeguard their votes. He cautioned Accord members against aggression or responding to provocation from the opposition and advised party agents against alcohol consumption while on election duty, saying it could impair judgment.
He closed by urging members to remain peaceful, drawing on a biblical account of two women disputing a child’s parentage, in which the true mother chose to let the child live rather than see it harmed, as an illustration, cautioning Accord members against being provoked into actions that could destabilize Osun.
