Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has launched a blistering attack on his predecessor, Rauf Aregbesola, accusing him of presiding over a legacy of debt, hardship, and failed governance during his eight-year tenure.

In a statement issued Monday by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke responded to Aregbesola’s recent claim that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) his new political platform would unseat Adeleke in the 2026 governorship election.

Describing Aregbesola’s administration as “inhumane, reckless, and the worst in Osun history,” Adeleke said the former governor should be apologising to the people instead of issuing political threats.

“The empty boast of Mr Aregbesola about 2026 is a symptom of a troubled mind… haunted by the pains and suffering he inflicted on millions of Osun people,” the statement read.

Adeleke accused his predecessor of introducing half salaries, mismanaging pension and cooperative funds, and leaving the state in crippling debt. He said his administration has been left to clean up Aregbesola’s mess, claiming he has paid 28 months of owed half salaries and settled nearly ₦60 billion in pension arrears.

“Pensioners and workers are not praying for a return to the evil days of a bad administrator who left the state in ruin,” he added.

The governor contrasted his record with Aregbesola’s, stating that his administration has executed key projects without borrowing, unlike the debt-laden era of his predecessor.

Highlights of Adeleke’s achievements include:

• Over 200km of roads constructed
• Renovation of more than 200 schools and health centres
• Free health insurance for 30,000 pensioners
• Free surgeries for 60,000 residents
• Completion and activation of the University of Ilesa
• Major infrastructure works in Osogbo, Ife, and Iwo, including flyovers and road dualisation

“If Aregbesola is looking for failure, he should look in the mirror,” Adeleke said. “He couldn’t even dualise a key road in Ilesa.”

The governor asserted that Osun citizens now clearly see the difference between “a government that serves” and one that betrayed their trust.

“Under Aregbesola, pensioners died in despair. No one wants to return to those dark days,” he said.

He concluded with a warning for 2026:

“That election will be a reckoning the people will punish those who brought them suffering and pain.”