Okpebholo Mocks Adeleke, Says Osun Governor Knows Only How to Dance

Governor Monday Okpebholo criticised Governor Ademola Adeleke while campaigning for the APC ahead of the Osun governorship election.

Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has mocked Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, claiming the governor’s absence from meetings of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) is because he “doesn’t know what to say except to dance.”

Okpebholo made the remarks while campaigning for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the August 15 Osun governorship election, where the party is seeking to unseat the incumbent governor.

Addressing supporters at the rally, the Edo governor ridiculed Adeleke’s well-known dancing style, suggesting it has become a distraction from governance.

“Demola Adeleke doesn’t attend governors’ forum meetings in Abuja because he doesn’t know what to say except to dance,” Okpebholo said, drawing laughter from the crowd.

He continued by joking that Adeleke dances before virtually every activity.

“For four years, this man has been dancing. Before he eats breakfast, he dances. Before he drinks tea, he dances. Before he enters the plane, he dances. By the time he gets to Abuja, our meeting has already ended. He doesn’t even know what we discuss there,” he said.

The Edo governor argued that Osun deserves a new administration, insisting that the APC candidate should be elected to replace Adeleke.

According to him, the current Osun government has failed to meet the expectations of the people.

“If a government is not working, the best gift you can give that government is to send it out,” he told supporters.

Okpebholo also urged voters to collect any money allegedly offered during the campaign but vote according to their conscience.

“They say they have money to spend. Collect the money and keep it in your pocket, but don’t vote for them,” he said.

The governor further linked Adeleke politically to former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki, claiming the Osun governor shares the same political approach.

“That man is Obaseki’s friend. We removed Obaseki, so we have to remove his friend too,” he added.

The comments come as political campaigns intensify ahead of the Osun governorship election, with both the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the APC stepping up efforts to win over voters.

Governor Adeleke has repeatedly defended his administration’s performance, citing projects in infrastructure, education, healthcare and workers’ welfare as evidence that his government deserves another mandate.

The APC, however, maintains that the state requires new leadership, making the August 15 election one of the most closely watched off-cycle governorship contests in Nigeria.