Adeleke and Oyebamiji Trade Blame Over Osun’s Healthcare Crisis

The political atmosphere in Osun State has taken a sharp turn toward the 2026 governorship race as Governor Ademola Adeleke and his primary challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), engage in a heated dispute over the state of public health infrastructure.

The confrontation began when Oyebamiji, the newly minted APC flagbearer, issued a scathing assessment of the state’s medical facilities. He characterized the current healthcare system as “moribund” and a significant barrier to the state’s overall development.

Vowing to implement a total overhaul if elected, Oyebamiji argued that the progress made by the previous administration has been systematically eroded over the last three years. He contended that the decline is visible to every resident who seeks basic medical attention.

Adebayo Adedeji, the coordinator for Oyebamiji’s campaign movement, doubled down on these claims in a statement released on Saturday. He insisted that political rhetoric cannot mask the physical reality of decaying clinics and empty hospital wards across the three senatorial districts.

To bolster his argument, Adedeji pointed to data from CheckMyPHC.org, a monitoring platform that tracks the functionality of primary healthcare centers (PHCs). The report highlighted a staggering workforce deficit within the state’s local health network.

According to the cited data, approximately 73% of Osun’s primary healthcare centers suffer from inadequate staffing. Even more alarming were findings suggesting that 44% of these centers operate with no permanent staff at all, leaving rural communities without professional medical oversight.

The campaign coordinator also highlighted the lack of basic amenities in these facilities. Many centers reportedly operate without access to clean water, functional toilets, or fundamental hygiene tools, which Adedeji claimed has turned potential places of healing into hubs of infection.

The APC camp reflected on the tenure of former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, under whom Oyebamiji served as a high-ranking official. They claimed that during that period, over 300 of the state’s 600 PHCs were successfully renovated and equipped.

Adedeji accused the Adeleke administration of failing to maintain those investments, leading to a rapid deterioration of the infrastructure that was once a point of pride for the state. He suggested that the current leadership has prioritized optics over actual service delivery.

Governor Adeleke was quick to return fire, dismissing the allegations as a desperate attempt at disinformation aimed at misleading the electorate ahead of the next polls. He described the APC’s narrative as a “baseless” fabrication that ignores documented progress.

The Governor countered the opposition’s claims by asserting that Osun currently holds the top rank in the South-West geopolitical zone for the provision of primary healthcare services. He maintained that his administration has been more proactive than its predecessor.

Adeleke revealed that his government has already renovated more than 200 primary healthcare centers since he assumed office. He argued that these efforts have significantly expanded access to affordable medical care for the most vulnerable citizens in the state.

The Governor did not stop at defending his record; he also launched a direct offensive against Oyebamiji’s professional history. Adeleke accused the APC candidate of being part of a committee under the Oyetola administration that allegedly mismanaged a $20 million World Bank grant.

This grant, according to the Governor, was specifically earmarked for the renovation of primary healthcare centers across the state. Adeleke suggested that if those funds had been utilized transparently, the current challenges facing the sector would not exist.

The Governor’s spokesperson emphasized that the people of Osun are “too enlightened” to be deceived by those who had a hand in the state’s past financial struggles. He vowed that the state would not return to what he termed the “days of insensitive leadership.”

The exchange underscores the central role that social welfare and infrastructure will play in the upcoming election cycle. Both camps are positioning themselves as the true defenders of the poor, using the health sector as the primary battlefield for legitimacy.

As the accusations of “mismanaged grants” meet counter-accusations of “staffing crises,” the residents of Osun are left to navigate a healthcare landscape caught between political narratives. The data provided by independent monitors continues to be a focal point for the opposition’s critique.

Meanwhile, the Adeleke administration maintains that its “Imole” (Light) agenda is brightening the prospects of the health sector through consistent funding and structural upgrades that were neglected for nearly a decade.

This early friction suggests that the 2026 race will be defined by a fierce debate over accountability and the tangible results of governance. With both sides claiming to hold the blueprint for a healthier Osun, the scrutiny of public institutions is only expected to intensify.