…Comrade Onifade Reacts to AMBO’s Absence at Peace Accord Signing
There are moments in politics that reveal a man’s true character more than a thousand campaign speeches. The peace accord signing in Osun State was one of them.
It is a long-standing tradition. A solemn moment when every serious governorship aspirant looks the people in the eye and publicly commits to a violence-free election.
Governor Ademola Adeleke was there. Candidates from other parties were there.
But the APC governorship candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji — popularly called AMBO — was nowhere to be found.
He stayed away.
That single act speaks volumes. It was not a scheduling conflict. It was a deliberate choice that exposes a deep disdain for the peace-loving people of Osun.
This is not new. Since AMBO grabbed the APC ticket, he has been allegedly linked to violence and intimidation targeted at the incumbent Governor and the people of Osun. His camp has created an atmosphere of fear instead of peace. Those who truly desire peace do not threaten citizens. Those who respect the people do not treat their safety as an afterthought.
How can any well-meaning citizen vote for a man who cannot even sit at the table of peace?
The peace accord is not a photo opportunity. It is a moral test. For years, it has been the day aspirants prove they understand the weight of the office they seek.
Governor Adeleke understood it. Other candidates understood it.
By his conspicuous absence, AMBO has shown that he does not.
His refusal to sign the peace accord also tells us what to expect at the forthcoming governorship debate. If a man will not commit to peace, he has nothing credible to offer the people. By their fruits, we shall know them. AMBO has shown who he is. Osun people should place no trust in a candidate known for violence, not peace.
AMBO is not to be trusted with our votes. A vote for him is a vote to take Osun back to Egypt. He is positioned to continue the second term of his boss, former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola. That four years brought us total maladministration and total suffering. Osun people do not want a repeat.
Leadership is not just about ambition. It is about goodwill for the people. It is about leading them to the Promised Land, not taking them back to Egypt, which is a desert. It is about restraint for the greater good. A man who cannot commit to peace when the whole state is watching cannot be trusted to protect it when the cameras are gone.
Osun people are not blind. We know the difference between a candidate who shows up for peace and one who deliberately avoids it. We have endured enough politics of aggression and veiled threats. We have suffered enough from leaders who talk development while sowing division.
This is why we urge the people of Osun to come out en masse on August 15, 2026, without fear or intimidation, to re-elect Governor Ademola Adeleke for a second term. This is how we will continue to enjoy the dividends of democracy and build on what he started for the betterment and glory of Osun State. We are ready to resist intimidation, defend our votes, and make every vote count.
No well-meaning Osun person will reward violence with a vote. The ballot is not a gift for the loudest or the most connected. It is a sacred trust. And that trust belongs only to those who have shown, by their actions, that they value the peace and dignity of our people.
AMBO had the chance to prove he belongs in that category. He chose to stay away.
The people of Osun will remember.
Signed:
Comrade James Onifade
Advocate for Good Governance and Judicial Reform
