African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, Dele Momodu, has called on opposition parties to put aside their individual interests and support Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party in the August 15, 2026, Osun State governorship election.

Momodu argued that opposition parties should recognise the political circumstances surrounding the election and work towards a common position rather than create an opportunity that could benefit the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He described such a move as the most practical strategy available to the opposition, given what he alleged was the manner in which the APC had turned Osun State into a “theatre of war.”

Opposition Alliance

In a statement on Tuesday, Momodu said opposition parties should immediately align behind Adeleke, warning against allowing individual political interests to take precedence over the broader objective of challenging the APC in the election.

He said, “It would be foolhardy not to see that with the manner APC has turned Osun State into a theater of war, the only sensible strategy is for all opposition parties to align immediately and back the Accord Party candidate, Governor Ademola Adeleke.

“I make this declaration without equivocation, or any fear of contradiction.

“We should never supply the APC an easy alibi to rig the Osun gubernatorial election on August 15, 2026.”

Momodu’s intervention places opposition coordination at the centre of the political contest, with his argument resting on the need for parties to act collectively rather than pursue separate interests ahead of the poll.

Political Positions

The ADC chieftain’s position represents a notable political choice because he is calling for support for a candidate outside his own party.

Momodu, however, maintained that his backing of Adeleke was not motivated by friendship or family ties. Instead, he presented the decision as one based on what he considers the governor’s political standing and record in office.

He described Adeleke as a “global phenomenon” who, in his assessment, could defeat President Bola Tinubu in a popularity contest.

Momodu also ranked Adeleke highly among Nigerian governors, citing areas including infrastructure, health, education, staff welfare, labour relations, internally generated revenue, agriculture, commerce, culture, women empowerment and youth integration.

Why Momodu Joined ADC

The endorsement also comes against the background of Momodu’s involvement in the ADC and the wider opposition coalition that he said motivated his decision to join the party.

Momodu said he remained a proud member of the ADC despite his decision to support Adeleke, explaining that he joined the party after prominent opposition figures moved towards forming a broad coalition against the APC.

According to him, his expectation was that the opposition coalition would bring together major political forces rather than require the parties to begin the process from scratch.

He said he had hoped the arrangement would benefit from the presence of leading opposition figures, noting that the ADC had initially paraded the second, third and fourth-placed candidates in the 2023 presidential election.

However, Momodu said the coalition did not eventually develop as he had envisaged.

The Current Situation

Momodu’s comments therefore combine his position on the Osun governorship election with his broader concerns about the opposition’s ability to coordinate its political strength.

He said he had continued to hope that Nigerians would collectively respond to what he described as the APC’s political “menace”, even after the opposition coalition failed to materialise in the manner he had expected.

In his words, he joined the ADC because prominent opposition figures had decided to create “a broad coalition of forces” against the APC, which he accused of damaging Nigeria’s economy, social cohesion, religious tolerance and democratic institutions.

He added that he had hoped the opposition would not have to “reinvent the wheels” because of the political figures initially associated with the ADC arrangement.

Political Implications

Momodu’s intervention highlights one of the central strategic questions facing opposition parties ahead of the Osun election: whether they can coordinate around a single political objective despite belonging to different parties.

His proposal also illustrates the tension between party identity and broader electoral strategy. While political parties ordinarily seek to strengthen their own candidates and structures, Momodu is arguing that the circumstances in Osun require opposition groups to consider a collective approach.

The practical significance of such an alignment would depend on whether other opposition parties and their supporters accept the argument and translate it into coordinated political action.

Momodu’s endorsement, therefore, is not simply a statement of personal preference. It is also an appeal for opposition forces to reconsider how they approach the election and whether their individual political interests should take priority over a common strategy.

Strategic Assessment

The major challenge for the strategy advocated by Momodu would be achieving actual coordination among opposition parties and their supporters.

Calling for an alliance is different from securing agreement among parties with separate structures, candidates, supporters and political interests. For Momodu’s proposed approach to become an effective electoral strategy, the different opposition forces would have to reach a common position and sustain that position through the remaining stages of the election.

His own decision to support Adeleke despite remaining a member of the ADC illustrates the type of political compromise he is advocating.

At the same time, Momodu’s assessment of Adeleke’s popularity and performance remains his own political argument. Whether other opposition figures share that assessment, and whether they are prepared to support the Accord Party candidate, will determine how far the proposed alignment can develop.

Election Outlook

With the Osun governorship election scheduled for August 15, 2026, the question of opposition coordination is likely to remain part of the political debate as the contest progresses.

Momodu has made his position clear: he wants opposition parties to put aside individual interests and support Adeleke.

Whether other opposition parties adopt that position, however, remains a separate political question. The eventual direction of the opposition and the ability of its various interests to coordinate will form part of the wider contest ahead of the Osun governorship poll.