The Imole Campaign Council (TICC) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of relying on political intimidation ahead of the August 15, 2026, Osun State governorship election, insisting that the electorate would determine the outcome of the poll.

The campaign council was reacting to comments by the National Chairman of the APC, Nentawe Yilwatda, who had said the party’s deployment of governors, National Assembly members, local government chairmen and other political heavyweights would secure victory over Governor Ademola Adeleke.

In a statement signed by the Chairman of the Media and Publicity Committee of the Imole Campaign Council, Rep. Bamidele Salam, the council described Yilwatda’s “trailer versus Keke Napep” analogy as a display of political arrogance and a misunderstanding of the realities in Osun State.

According to the council, elections are decided by the people and not by the number of governors, lawmakers or political office holders a party can mobilise.

“The people of Osun State are not waiting for political heavyweights from outside the state to decide their future. The electorate are capable of making their own independent choice based on the performance of the government in power,” the statement read.

The council argued that the APC’s emphasis on deploying political figures from outside the state amounted to an attempt to intimidate voters rather than persuade them with policies and programmes.

It maintained that Governor Adeleke had earned the confidence of the electorate through his administration’s performance in road infrastructure, healthcare, education, workers’ welfare, water supply, agriculture and youth empowerment.

The campaign council also claimed that the APC governorship candidate, Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, had failed to build sufficient grassroots support, forcing the party to depend on external political figures.

It urged the APC to campaign on issues and present credible alternatives to the electorate instead of relying on what it described as political boasts and external mobilisation.

The council expressed confidence that voters would return Adeleke for a second term, insisting that the August 15 governorship election would be decided by the people rather than by political influence.