MMBE, Oyetola Subdues Adeleke Ahead of 2027 Election

…As Court Orders Deregistration of Labour Party

BY GBOGBOWA GBOWA

The political chessboard in Osun State has taken a dramatic turn, with Governor Ademola Adeleke finding himself cornered after the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the deregistration of Accord Party, alongside four other opposition platforms.

Justice Peter Lifu’s ruling directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to delist the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), Accord Party, and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) for failing to meet constitutional requirements under Section 225. This decision effectively strips Adeleke of his fallback platform, Accord Party, which he had defected to amid internal squabbles within the PDP.

Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy and cousin to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, appears to have tightened the noose around Adeleke’s political ambitions. Oyetola, himself a former governor of Osun, has long been accused of leveraging federal influence to undermine Adeleke’s administration. His most recent maneuver, fielding Bola Oyebamiji of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) as APC’s gubernatorial hopeful; signaling a ruthless strategy to reclaim Osun for the ruling party.

Cautious about Governor Adeleke’s electoral popularity, President Tinubu reportedly extended an olive branch to Adeleke, inviting him to defect to the APC in a bid not only to neutralize his popularity ahead of 2027; but as a strategy to ensuring his reelection victory in the state. Adeleke, however, disclosed that Oyetola resisted such overtures, forcing him to pledge loyalty to Tinubu while remaining outside APC’s fold. The deregistration of Accord Party now leaves Adeleke politically stranded, with his options narrowing rapidly.

Observers argue that Oyetola’s deft use of institutional levers from federal backing to party realignments has effectively sealed Adeleke’s fate. By stripping away his alternative platforms, Oyetola has ensured that Adeleke either returns to a fractured PDP or risks political irrelevance. In Osun’s murky waters, this is less about ideology and more about raw survival, and Oyetola seems to be steering the tide.

While Adeleke’s grassroots appeal and populist style remain strong, there are concerns that incumbency alone may not withstand APC’s coordinated machinery, especially with Accord Party deregistered.

So far, the embattled Osun State governor’s camp insists the deregistration ruling is under appeal, meaning Accord may still contest elections pending higher court decisions.

Whereas this is not the first time Nigeria’s ministers of transportation are getting overly involved in politics, Oyetola is believed to have deployed his federal Influence more ruthlessly than anyone did before now.

Oyetola’s allies reportedly dominate federal appointments in Osun, with key positions filled by individuals from his hometown Iragbiji and political camp. These analysts say has entrenched his influence across key national agencies like Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), and NIWA.

It is instructive that as Minister of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Oyetola spearheaded Nigeria’s first National Blue Economy Policy, earning international praise and boosting federal revenues. His reforms have been attributed to the clearance of the Apapa port gridlock, plus the strengthening of maritime security, thus enhancing his national stature.

But since the return of active politics ahead of 2027 elections, some of the industry gains have started experiencing remarkable erosions, including the resurgence of the Apapa port corridor traffic snarl. Whichever way the political pendulum swings in Osun State, unless the nation’s maritime economy is insulated, all of the gains may well go down the drain as focus gets subsumed under 2027 elections.