Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has accused the Federal Government of deliberately sidelining the state because it is governed by an opposition party.

Adeleke made the allegation on Thursday during the Democracy and Federalism Summit held in Akure, Ondo State. He was represented by his deputy, Kola Adeusi, at the two-day event organised by Afenifere and the DAWN Commission.

The governor said the treatment meted out to Osun State exposed “the dangers of mixing politics with governance,” alleging that Abuja was using constitutional powers to punish the state for its political choice.
“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 said. “Osun provides extensive data on how not to treat a sub-national entity in a truly democratic environment.”

Adeleke claimed that Osun had been denied benefits and federal support that should be automatic under a true federal system. He said despite directing state ministries and agencies to collaborate with federal institutions, efforts to repair federal roads and revive abandoned projects were frustrated by political interests.

He also accused the Federal Government of routing development initiatives through party structures instead of state governments, describing the trend as “dangerous for democracy.”

The governor further criticised some federal security agencies, alleging they protected ruling party politicians while intimidating state officials.
“In Osun today, federal party officials boast of powers to deploy security apparatus to witch-hunt state officials,” he said, adding that local government funds were sometimes withheld without court orders and elected council officials barred from assuming office.

Despite the alleged hostility, Adeleke said Osun had made significant progress under his administration — citing gains in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and climate action. He noted that the state had reduced its debt stock and now ranks among the top performers in primary healthcare and national examinations in the Southwest.

Looking ahead, the governor urged Southwest leaders to prioritise regional development over partisan politics, advocating for a circular cargo rail network, dry ports, and a stronger Amotekun security outfit to drive growth.
“The Southwest must elevate power applications beyond partisan considerations. We must never deploy federal power against ourselves no matter our political differences,” he said.

Adeleke also warned against electoral malpractice, stressing that democracy could only thrive when the people’s votes were respected.
“We must avoid the temptation to rig elections,” he cautioned.