Osun Guber: ADC rejects vote buying, illegal sharing of people’s commonwealth

The spokesperson for the African Democratic Congress, ADC, governorship campaign in Osun State, Adebisi Nurein Debo, has reaffirmed the party’s opposition to vote buying and election violence.

Debo spoke on Friday at the Osun State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Guest Platform, where he described the ADC as an emerging political force and defended the party’s campaign strategy.

The ADC campaign spokesperson who condemned vote buying and vote selling also urged voters not to exchange their votes for financial inducements.

“Collect whatever money is offered because it is everybody’s common wealth, but do not vote for them,” he said.

While outlining the ADC policy direction ahead of the 2026 governorship election, Debo disclosed that the party has grown significantly within the last year, saying the party has become a serious opposition coalition in Osun State.

“A year ago nobody spoke of the ADC. A year and five days today, ADC has become a serious contending coalition of opposition. The result is there to show because the ADC is a force to reckon with,” he said.

He added that the party rejected popularity gained through election violence, maintaining that the ADC remained committed to peaceful democratic participation.

Debo said the party’s governorship candidate, Najeem Salaam, had a clear vision for Osun anchored on the ADC’s 10-point agenda. 

He added that, apart from former Governor Rauf Aregbesola, only Salaam had presented a prepared development plan for the state, warning that “trial and error will lead to multiplicity of errors.”

He said the party’s agenda prioritises workers’ welfare, agriculture, security, commerce and business without increasing taxes, improved electricity supply to boost productivity, and good governance through people-oriented policies.

According to him, “the ADC aims to implement at least 70 per cent of its campaign promises within the first three years of assuming office.”

He also alleged that the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Osun State had engaged in “political agenda theft.”

Debo assured residents that Salaam would provide good and visionary leadership if elected and disclosed that an ADC administration would focus on talent discovery and create employment opportunities for 20,000 youths within its first 100 days in office.

Speaking on Salaam’s relationship with former Governor Rauf Aregbesola, Debo said “Aregbesola had established himself as a household name in Osun and Nigerian politics, adding that Salaam’s alignment with the former governor had strengthened his electoral appeal. Aregbesola is a mentor and leader to Najeem Salaam.”

On local government administration in the state, Debo attributed the current situation to what he described as abuse of power by the APC and incompetence by the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke. 

He also claimed to observe a dangerous political trade by barter between Abuja and Osogbo over the issue and questioned the governor’s endorsement of “his tormentor in chief.”