Governor Ademola Adeleke has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempting to assassinate the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji. The APC in Osogbo has fired back, calling the allegation blackmail.
The drama started on Saturday at an endorsement programme organised by spare parts sellers in Osogbo. The Ataoja, speaking in Yoruba, said gunmen stormed his palace and shot at his workers. But he didn't name any political party. A short video of his speech went viral on social media.
On Sunday, Adeleke took to his X (formerly Twitter) handle and directly blamed the APC for the attack. He called on the Inspector General of Police to investigate.
The APC leadership in Osogbo responded through Akintunde Adegboye, a former deputy speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly. Adegboye said the monarch had put on the "fabrics of politics" again — just as he did in 2022.
"It's surprising that an assassination attempt was carried out against the Ataoja by some unscrupulous person, according to the royal father, the day an Accord party chieftain was shot, but the incident has never been in the public domain until an endorsement programme for Governor Ademola Adeleke. The allegation looks more like blackmail than truth," Adegboye said.
Adegboye pointed out several holes in the story. The Ataoja said he went to the Osun State University Teaching Hospital (UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital) to document the attack. But there's a police station right beside the palace. Why not report there first?
The Ataoja also didn't name any victims. Who was shot? Where are they being treated? Were any arrests made? The APC says the governor is relying on rumours, not facts.
"Adeleke should be the chief security officer of the state, but clearly, he's lost it with recent developments. Ataoja indicted him by saying the Governor isn't aware of what happened since two weeks ago," Adegboye added.
The incident the Ataoja referred to happened on June 3. That same night, gunmen shot at Asimiyu Ajibola, the Accord party chairman in Osogbo Local Government. Ajibola survived and is still in hospital.
The APC leaders are now calling on the National Security Adviser, the Inspector General of Police, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and other security agencies to investigate the Ataoja's claims.
They want answers to specific questions: Who was injured in the palace attack? Which police station was the report made to? Which hospital treated the victims? Who has been arrested?
This isn't the first time the Ataoja has been accused of partisanship. In the 2022 governorship election, he was also seen as backing one side. Now, with the 2026 election approaching, the APC says he's doing it again.
The APC in Osogbo insists they'll win the 2026 election peacefully, comparing it to the "June 12, 1993" election — widely regarded as Nigeria's freest and fairest.
For now, the ball is in the court of security agencies. The Ataoja's story and Adeleke's accusation are on the table. Which one holds up under investigation?