The political landscape in Osun State has become increasingly charged as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, recently stepped into the spotlight to challenge the narrative surrounding the state’s financial history. During a high-profile town hall meeting on Arise TV, Oyebamiji directly confronted the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke, labeling the claims that the state treasury was empty upon his succession as not only misleading but fundamentally dishonest. By asserting that the previous administration under Gboyega Oyetola actually left behind a surplus of roughly N15 billion, Oyebamiji is attempting to shift the public discourse from one of inherited debt to one of current accountability, urging the people of Osun to look past the political rhetoric that has defined recent governance.
At the heart of Oyebamiji’s argument is a staggering contrast in financial inflows, which he used to highlight what he perceives as a failure in governance. He pointed out that while the former APC-led governments of Rauf Aregbesola and Gboyega Oyetola combined received approximately N450 billion over a twelve-year period, the current administration has already collected N650 billion in just three and a half years. For the APC candidate, these numbers serve as a scathing indictment of the status quo. He argued that when you compare the massive increase in available capital to the visible development—or lack thereof—within the state, the math simply does not add up, leaving him to question where these vast sums of money are actually being utilized.
The source of this newfound wealth, according to Oyebamiji, lies in the bold economic reforms spearheaded by President Bola Tinubu. He credited the removal of the fuel subsidy and other fiscal restructuring efforts for significantly increasing the monthly federal allocations to states, including Osun. While acknowledging that these reforms initially brought economic strain to many Nigerians, he argued that the flip side of the policy was a substantial boost in the revenue reaching the sub-national governments. From his perspective, the Adeleke administration has been the beneficiary of a “windfall” of federal resources that previous administrations could only have dreamed of, yet he contends that this unprecedented financial boost has not translated into a proportional improvement in the lives of the average Osun resident.
A significant portion of Oyebamiji’s critique focused on the inequitable distribution of resources, which he described as an “aberration” that borders on the criminal. He claimed that nearly 97 percent of the state’s resources are currently concentrated within just two local government areas, leaving the rest of the state to languish in neglect. This centralization of funds, he warned, is unsustainable and serves as a barrier to holistic development. By highlighting this geographic disparity, he is positioning himself as a candidate who stands for the forgotten parts of the state—the rural communities and urban centers alike that have felt sidelined by the current administration’s fiscal priorities.
Looking toward the future, Oyebamiji used the platform to present a vision of governance grounded in transparency and fiscal responsibility. He framed his potential governorship as a necessary pivot away from what he calls the mismanagement of public funds, promising that every naira would be accounted for and directed toward tangible societal benefits. His rhetoric is clearly designed to appeal to a frustrated electorate, promising that an APC administration would prioritize the construction of meaningful infrastructure, the strengthening of social services, and the creation of economic buffers for the youth and local businesses. He insists that public office is not about the accumulation of wealth or the centralization of power, but about the diligent conversion of resources into improved daily living standards for all citizens.
Ultimately, Oyebamiji’s performance at the town hall was more than just a defense of his party’s past; it was a rallying cry for a different kind of leadership in Osun State. By focusing on the stark reality of financial figures, he is inviting voters to move beyond political loyalty and focus on the practical question of development: where does the money go, and who does it serve? As the campaign season intensifies, this debate over the state’s finances will likely remain the central battleground. Whether his message will resonate enough to unseat the incumbent remains to be seen, but he has certainly succeeded in making the financial integrity of the Adeleke administration the primary topic of conversation for the electorate as they look toward the next chapter for Osun.