The All Progressives Congress in Osun State has mocked Governor Ademola Adeleke, following the defeat of Dino Melaye, the Peoples Democratic Party candidate in the Kogi State gubernatorial election.

In a statement signed by the APC’s state chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, the party described Melaye’s defeat as a “mirror” reflecting Adeleke’s “political emptiness.” 

Lawal warned that the outcome of the Kogi election could foreshadow Adeleke’s fate in the 2026 Osun governorship election.

He accused Adeleke of bringing “political misfortune” to Kogi State, suggesting that his overestimation by the PDP’s national leadership contributed to Melaye’s defeat. 

“The Kogi State gubernatorial election results should serve as a metaphorical mirror for Adeleke, reflecting his political emptiness. With Melaye’s defeat, the PDP gubernatorial candidate, the outcome in Kogi State this year might mirror the scenario in Osun State’s 2026 governorship election.”

He further alleged that Adeleke’s past victories in Osun elections were achieved through “misconduct” and “compromised security agents.”

“It’s now evident that those who believed Adeleke possessed a tested election strategy, one that secured victories for him and his party in recent Osun elections, will realize that the upstart governor relied mainly on luck. He escaped consequences despite committing misconduct in those elections, leveraging compromised security agents and political tactics to manipulate the will of the electorate.

“The fallout from the Kogi State gubernatorial election will halt the unfounded confidence of Governor Adeleke in Kogi State. His presumption that chairing the campaign would guarantee a repeat of electoral success, akin to what occurred fraudulently in Osun, will likely be shattered.”

The APC chairman criticized Adeleke’s failure to disclose the alleged “cost” of his Osun victory, including the loss of lives of over 30 APC members due to PDP-related violence. He vowed that the APC would utilize all constitutional means to remove Adeleke from office in the 2026 election.