ONE DEAD, SEVERAL INJURED AS GOVERNOR ADELEKE’S THUGS, SUPPORTERS CLASH AT ATAOJA PALACE

The Osun State APC Governorship Campaign Council has  condemned in the strongest terms the violent incident that occurred today at the Palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo during a courtesy visit by Governor Ademola Adeleke and the ace musician, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido.

The Campaign Council is deeply concerned by reports of violence, injuries and the killing of a passerby during the fracas, and calls on Governor Ademola Adeleke to immediately rein in his janjaweeds and violent supporters whose activities, if left unchecked, could further endanger the lives and property of innocent citizens.

According to eyewitness accounts, one of the known Adeleke thugs, Taoreed Ademola, popularly known as Small Rugged, attempted to exchange pleasantries with Davido when the Governor and the singer arrived at the palace. Small Rugged is one of the Criminals recently released from prison following an order of the governor and was unleashed on the supporters of our party in Osogbo and environs.
The eyewitnesses alleged that Small Rugged was prevented from approaching Davido and was subsequently beaten and injured by members of the singer’s security detail.
The account further alleges that members of Small Rugged’s gang retaliated by initially barricading the Governor’s convoy, leading to a confrontation and an ensuing exchange of gunfire. Tragically, a passerby was reportedly shot dead, while several other citizens sustained injuries.

This ugly development has accentuated the long-standing position of the Osun State APC that the people of the state are increasingly being exposed to political thuggery and violence perpetrated by hoodlums associated with the Governor’s political camp.

It is particularly disturbing that this incident comes against the backdrop of recent reports of a free-for-all confrontation between the camps of two political appointees of Governor Adeleke, Dauda Olalekan Oyeyemi, also known as Emir Ajagungbade, and Wakeel Nurudeen, popularly known as Nurudeen Alowonle over the control and management of the motorparks in the state.
The APC Campaign Council considers this growing atmosphere of political violence and lawlessness unacceptable in a state where citizens deserve to live without fear.

We therefore call on Governor Ademola Adeleke to demonstrate leadership by immediately calling his thugs, supporters and political appointees to order. The Governor has a responsibility to ensure that political disagreements do not degenerate into violence and that Osun State does not become a theatre for the activities of political thugs.

The APC Governorship Campaign Council commiserates with the family of the deceased and sympathises with all those who sustained injuries in the unfortunate incident.

Signed:
Engr Oluremi Omowaiye
Head, Media and Publicity Committee
Osun State APC Governorship Campaign Council
19th August 2026.