“Osun Government Gave Me the Car, Not Adeleke” — Oyinlola Denies Governor’s Claim Ahead of Election

Former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has rejected a claim by incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke that he personally gave the former governor a vehicle, insisting that the car was provided by the Osun State Government as part of benefits prescribed for former governors.

The dispute has erupted just hours before the August 15 Osun governorship election, adding another layer of political tension to an already closely watched contest between Adeleke, who is seeking a second term, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji.

The controversy began after Adeleke reportedly claimed that Oyinlola had complained about not having a functional vehicle and that he responded by providing him with a new car.

Adeleke’s account subsequently drew a sharp response from Oyinlola, who dismissed the claim and said the vehicle was not a personal gift from the incumbent governor.

“That is far from the truth and it is a bad development that a governor will continue to tell lies,” Oyinlola said in his response.

“It wasn’t Ademola that gave me vehicle. It was the Osun State Government; it is a law of the state enacted by the House of Assembly.”

Oyinlola explained that legislation in the state provides certain benefits for former governors, including the provision or replacement of official vehicles at specified intervals.

According to the former governor, the benefits also include provisions relating to security personnel, drivers, cooks and domestic staff.

He argued that his eligibility for the benefits did not depend on Adeleke personally deciding to give him a vehicle.

“I’ve been out of Osun State government since the last 16 years. If you aggregate it, it means the state is still having to give up three vehicles,” he said.

“There are other things, like my security should be taken care of. The police should be paid for, the cook should be taken care of and the drivers. Those are the requisite of that enactment.”

The controversy intensified after a video showing the presentation of the vehicle began circulating widely on social media.

In the footage, Adeleke is seen handing over the vehicle while speaking about recognising Oyinlola’s past service to the state. The video has since become a major talking point among supporters of the two political camps.

Supporters of Adeleke have pointed to the footage as evidence that the governor personally facilitated the vehicle presentation, while Oyinlola’s supporters argue that the presence of the governor at the handover does not change the fact that the vehicle was an entitlement provided by the state government.

The disagreement has also become entangled with Oyinlola’s recent political realignment ahead of Saturday’s election.

The former governor had earlier supported the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) candidate before a political realignment saw a faction associated with him declare support for the APC candidate, Oyebamiji.

The development has placed Oyinlola in opposition to Adeleke, who is contesting the election on the Accord Party platform after leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

With the election only hours away, the exchange has generated significant discussion online, with the dispute over the vehicle becoming part of the wider political battle between supporters of Adeleke and Oyebamiji.

The controversy also highlights how seemingly personal political exchanges can become major campaign issues during the final hours of an election.

At the centre of the disagreement is a straightforward but politically significant question: was the vehicle a personal gift from Adeleke or an official benefit provided by the Osun State Government under legislation covering former governors?

Oyinlola’s position is that the latter is the case.

The video of the handover, meanwhile, has provided supporters of both sides with material to support their competing interpretations of the event.

As of Friday, no fresh detailed response from Adeleke addressing Oyinlola’s explanation had been publicly established beyond the governor’s original account.

The dispute comes at a critical moment, with Osun residents scheduled to vote on Saturday, August 15, 2026, in an election that has already been marked by intense political competition, endorsements and last-minute realignments.

With voting just hours away, the Oyinlola-Adeleke exchange is likely to remain part of the political conversation as the competing camps make their final appeals to voters across the state.

Adeleke Dumps PDP, Joins Accord Party, Says New Platform Reflects His Vision for Osun’s Welfare-Driven Governance

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