Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has called for economic sanctions and visa restrictions against the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, Senator Francis Fadahunsi, the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Wole Oke, and other political figures over their alleged involvement in political violence in the state.
Adeleke made the call while receiving a diplomatic delegation from the British government ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in Osun State.
According to the governor, the named political leaders have allegedly encouraged violence in the state through their supporters and associates, contributing to a rise in targeted attacks and killings.
While commending security agencies for their intervention in restoring calm, Adeleke accused some opposition leaders of openly promoting unrest and urged law enforcement agencies to arrest anyone found culpable, irrespective of political affiliation.
The governor’s remarks followed the recent killing of an Accord Party member in Ijebu-Jesa, an incident he said brought to five the number of Accord Party members allegedly killed since the commencement of campaigns for the 2026 governorship election.
He also claimed that 15 other party members had sustained critical injuries in attacks allegedly carried out by suspected political thugs.
Adeleke called on security agencies to apprehend not only those directly involved in the violence but also individuals accused of sponsoring the attacks.
According to him, the public statements and actions of some leaders of the Osun chapter of the APC justified his demand for economic sanctions and visa bans against them.
Reiterating his administration’s stance against violence, the governor said he had informed the Inspector-General of Police that anyone found engaging in criminal activities should be arrested, regardless of their relationship to him.
“I have zero tolerance for violence. I told the Inspector-General of Police that even if my son is involved in criminality, he should be arrested immediately,” Adeleke said.
He stressed that his government does not harbour political thugs and believes that security agencies must enforce the law without bias.
The governor argued that international sanctions and visa restrictions could serve as deterrents against politicians accused of sponsoring violence, adding that similar measures should be considered against security officials found aiding anti-democratic activities.
“Elections should not be about bloodshed. The people of Osun deserve peace and the freedom to choose their leaders without fear or intimidation,” he stated.
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Responding, the Senior Political Adviser of the British delegation, Wale Adebajo, said the team was in Osun as part of a broader pre-election peace-building initiative involving other international partners.
He reaffirmed the British government’s support for peaceful, credible and transparent elections and pledged continued engagement with political stakeholders ahead of the August 15 governorship poll.
Adebajo added that the delegation would work with relevant actors to promote a secure and conducive environment for the conduct of the election.
