Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, on Tuesday urged residents to resist election rigging and defend their votes in the forthcoming governorship poll, accusing opposition actors of plotting to manipulate the electoral process.

Speaking at a gathering of cooperative societies at Freedom Park in Osogbo, where members of the Osun State Cooperative Movement endorsed him for a second term, the governor charged voters to remain vigilant and law-abiding but firm at polling units.

Adeleke alleged that opposition elements, particularly members of the All Progressives Congress, were desperate to return to power through illegitimate means, urging citizens to counter such moves through the ballot.

“They misruled the state when they were in office. Our administration introduced pro-people programmes and projects. Now they want to force their way back. Resist them with your ballots,” he said.

The governor encouraged massive voter turnout and community monitoring of the voting process, adding that any attempt at vote-buying should be exposed to security agencies after being documented.

He said his government had prioritised infrastructure renewal and social obligations, including payment of salary and pension backlogs, completion of abandoned projects, and road upgrades across major towns such as Iwo, Ilesa, Ila-Orangun, Ile-Ife and Ikirun.

Adeleke also claimed that his administration had approved about N4 billion in grants for cooperative societies, with nearly N2 billion already disbursed — describing the intervention as the most significant state support to cooperatives since the old Western Region government led by Obafemi Awolowo.

He further alleged that disruptions in local government finances had limited the state’s ability to extend more support to grassroots groups and workers.

Cooperatives declare support

Earlier, leaders of the Osun State Cooperative Movement said their endorsement of the governor was unanimous and performance-based, citing what they described as unprecedented support for cooperative development.

Executive Secretary of the Federation of Osun Cooperatives (FOSCOP), Tiamiyu Adeoye, said the movement — representing millions of members statewide — resolved to support Adeleke’s re-election after reviewing his administration’s interventions in cooperative financing and empowerment.

According to him, the last comparable government backing for cooperatives dated back to 1952 during Awolowo’s regional administration, when financial support significantly boosted the sector.

A cooperative leader and APC chieftain from Ifon-Orolu, Muhammed Olasunkanmi Muibi, also publicly backed the governor, commending his cross-sector performance and urging cooperative members to vote and monitor results in their communities.

Commissioner for Cooperatives and Empowerment, Bayo Ogungbangbe, assured members that state support for cooperative societies would continue, noting that new policy and grant initiatives were underway to deepen grassroots economic growth.

Top government officials, including the deputy governor, senior cabinet members and lawmakers, attended the endorsement event.