He said, “We were preparing for our final rally today, and our leaders said we should converge at Igbogi for take-off, which is scheduled for 8 am.

“At 7:30 am, the thugs stormed the venue and were shooting sporadically.”

Sola initially claimed four people had died in the attack, but the APC Campaign Council later put the death toll at two.

He also linked the incident to recent political tension in the area, saying, “It is so unfortunate. This is coming barely three days after Amotekun shot some members.”

APC Confirms Two Deaths
The Media Head of the APC Campaign Council, Oluremi Omowaiye, confirmed that four party supporters were affected in Tuesday’s attack.

He, however, clarified that two of the victims died while two others were receiving treatment for serious injuries.

“Four of our supporters were shot, two of them are dead while two others are in critical condition,” Omowaiye said.

He added that the APC woman leader in Ilesa was among those injured and had been taken to Wesley Guild Hospital for treatment.

The claim is further contradicted by recent statements from Salaam himself. A social-media post attributed to the ADC candidate said: “I remain fully in the race. I’m contesting to win.”

Available records also show that Salaam remains the ADC’s candidate for the 2026 Osun governorship election. He emerged from the party’s primary with all 520 valid votes cast by accredited delegates.

The ADC has also continued campaigning around Salaam’s candidacy. In July, a party spokesperson described him as the party’s governorship candidate and outlined the programme he intends to implement if elected.

Verdict: FALSE

There is no credible evidence at the time of writing that Najeem Salaam has withdrawn from the 2026 Osun governorship election to support Ademola Adeleke. The latest statements from Aregbesola and Salaam indicate the opposite: the ADC says it remains in the race and intends to contest the election independently.

Lanlehin said although some of the 11 aspirants who contested the primary had reservations about the process and its outcome, the need to build a stronger party ahead of the 2027 election had made reconciliation necessary.

He said, “We listened to their concerns and disappointments and, importantly, found that we have far more that unites us than divides us.

“Today, we are pleased to announce that four distinguished governorship aspirants have agreed to put the contest behind them and work with Senator Sharafadeen Alli in the interest of the party and our victory in the 2027 General Election.”

Lanlehin described the development as a victory for “collective interest over individual ambition, reconciliation over division and unity over factionalism.

“The party could only win the 2027 governorship election through unity,” noting that “no candidate could rely solely on those who supported him during the primary.

“No candidate can win a general election by relying only on those who supported him in the primary. A governorship election is won by a united political family.”

Meanwhile, in a communique issued after the reconciliation meetings, the aspirants pledged their “unwavering and unflinching support” for President Bola Tinubu, Alli and all other APC candidates in the 2027 elections.

They also pledged to cooperate with the party and its campaign structures to ensure victory at the polls.

The committee said the reconciliation process with the APC “G6” governorship aspirants had been concluded, except for Barrister Akeem Agbaje.

The aspirants also expressed their desire to meet with President Tinubu at his convenience to reaffirm their support for his 2027 presidential bid.

Source: The Nation