The Imole Campaign Council of Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has denied allegations that the governor asked residents to take oaths in support of his re-election bid, describing a video circulating on social media as an attempt to smear his campaign ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

The campaign council said Adeleke had no connection with the alleged oath-taking activity and neither authorised nor participated in it.

The council’s position was contained in a statement signed by Representative Bamidele Salam, Chairman, Media Committee, Imole Campaign Council, on Friday.

The statement followed attempts by the Osun State APC Governorship Campaign Council to link Adeleke to an alleged oath-taking video currently circulating on social media.

The Imole Campaign Council described the allegation as a desperate attempt by the opposition to discredit the governor ahead of the poll.

The council said, “The Imole Campaign Council has described as laughable and defeatist the attempt by the Osun State APC Governorship Campaign Council to link Governor Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke to an alleged oath-taking video currently circulating on social media, stating emphatically that the Governor has absolutely no connection whatsoever with any such activity.”

It added that it was examining the authenticity and source of the video.

“The Council is presently examining the authenticity, source and circumstances surrounding the video in question. However, it is important to state categorically that Governor Ademola Adeleke has neither authorised, participated in, directed nor endorsed the taking of any oath by anyone in relation to the August 15 governorship election or for any other political purpose,” the statement said.

According to the campaign council, Adeleke believes that voters should be free to make their political choices without coercion.

“Governor Adeleke is a democrat who believes fundamentally in the freedom of citizens to make their political choices according to their conscience. He does not need oaths, threats, intimidation or any form of coercion to secure the support of the people of Osun State,” it said.

The campaign council further attributed the governor’s support to his performance in office and relationship with residents, rather than any alleged oath-taking exercise.

“Indeed, the Governor enjoys broad and demonstrable support across the state based on his record of performance and his personal connection with the people. His campaign is therefore anchored on his achievements, his vision for Osun and the confidence of the electorate, not on superstition, coercion or clandestine practices,” the statement said.

The council accused the APC of attempting to turn an unverified social media video into a campaign issue without establishing its source or authenticity.

“The APC’s attempt to immediately attribute an unverified social media video to Governor Adeleke is therefore nothing but a hard-sell political manoeuvre by an opposition that is increasingly confronted with the reality of its rejection by the Osun electorate,” it said.

It further criticised the opposition for allegedly focusing on the video instead of scrutinising the administration’s performance.

“The APC’s attempt to convert an unverified video into a campaign issue also exposes the poverty of its campaign strategy. Rather than engage Governor Adeleke’s administration on roads, healthcare, education, workers’ welfare, infrastructure, rural development and other measurable areas of governance, the opposition has resorted to allegations based on videos whose provenance remains unclear,” the statement said.

The campaign council stressed that Adeleke had not asked anyone to swear an oath before supporting him or voting for him.

“But let there be no ambiguity: Governor Ademola Adeleke does not require anybody to swear an oath before supporting him. He does not require anyone to invoke a curse before voting for him. He does not require supernatural intervention to win an election,” it said.

The statement added, “His strength is the people. His campaign is based on his record. His mandate belongs to the electorate.”

The campaign council also challenged the APC to focus on the August 15 election rather than the circulating video.

“The APC should therefore stop looking for excuses in videos and begin preparing for the verdict of the Osun people on August 15,” it said.

It maintained that Adeleke’s campaign would be based on his administration’s record and appealed to voters to assess the competing political platforms on their performance.

“The people of Osun are not being asked to vote for Governor Adeleke because of any oath. They are being asked to vote for him because they have seen the difference between a government that works for the people and an opposition that has offered little beyond fear, propaganda and empty accusations,” the council said.

“Governor Adeleke will face the people on August 15 with his record. Let the APC face the people with its own record,” it added.