Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State on Thursday accused the Federal Government of deploying state power for partisan purposes, alleging deliberate marginalisation of his administration because it belongs to a different political party from that of the ruling government at the centre.
Speaking through his Deputy, Kola Adeusi, at the two-day Southwest Summit on Democracy and Federalism organised by Afenifere and the DAWN Commission in Akure the Ondo State capital, Governor Adeleke who said Osun State had become a case study in how not to treat a sub-national entity in a democratic setting, urged Southwest leaders to prioritise collective progress over partisan divides
He lamented what he described as the “wilful breach of the constitution” and “politicisation of federal power” in the state, claiming that Osun had been deprived of its legitimate rights despite demonstrating commitment to constructive engagement with the Federal Government.
“There is an ongoing wilful breach of the constitution to deprive a sub-national entity of its due rights simply because it does not belong to the same party with the ruling party at the centre. Adeleke declared. Osun provides extensive data on how not to treat a sub-national entity in a truly democratic environment.”
The Governor revealed that since assuming office in 2022, his administration had maintained open lines of communication with the Federal Government by mandating ministries and agencies to respond promptly to all federal correspondences, participate in national programmes, and host federal events.
Despite these efforts, Adeleke said, partisan considerations had overshadowed cooperation. He alleged that Osun’s attempts to reconstruct federal roads and revive abandoned federal projects were frustrated by political operatives at the centre.
“Our olive branch to enhance collaboration is clouded by political partisanship actively promoted by operatives of the ruling political party at the centre. Federal projects and initiatives are now being routed through party structures instead of Osun State Government machinery.”
Adeleke further accused federal security agencies of openly protecting members of the ruling party even when they violate the law. According to him, some party officials in the state have boasted about using security forces to intimidate state officials and hijack political structures.
He also alleged that the state’s local government funds were seized earlier in the year without any court order, while duly elected local government officials were prevented from assuming office.
“In Osun today, federal party officials boast of powers to deploy security apparatus to witch-hunt state officials,” Adeleke said. “Worst still, they have security cover when making such provocative declarations.”
Despite the hostility, Adeleke maintained that his administration had made significant progress, citing federal records showing Osun’s improved rankings in education, health, debt management, and infrastructure.
He stated that Osun was ranked first in access to primary healthcare in the Southwest, reduced its debt by over 40 percent, and moved from 33rd to 7th position in national examination rankings. The state, he added, was also rated a role model in school feeding and among the top five in proactive climate governance.
Turning to regional development, Adeleke urged Southwest leaders to prioritise collective progress over partisan divides. He advocated for the creation of a Southwest Circular Cargo Railway, the establishment of dry ports, and the strengthening of Amotekun as a regional security network.
“The Southwest must elevate power applications beyond partisan considerations. We must never deploy federal power against ourselves no matter our political differences.”
Adeleke concluded with a strong warning against undermining democracy, saying that respect for the people’s will as expressed through the ballot box remains the foundation of good governance. “We must avoid the temptation to rig elections,” the governor cautioned.
Fidelis David
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