Hon. Jamiu Olawumi is a prominent public figure well known in Osun political circles. Formerly a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), he served as Special Adviser on Education during Gboyega Oyetola’s tenure as Governor (2018-2022). However, in June 2026, with only a few months to the state governorship election, he dumped the APC for the Accord Party.

In this interview with Noble News’ Editor Paul Onogwu, he explains his decision to change parties, the factors responsible for Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election victory, and priority areas for the governor in his second term. Read the full interview below.

You were a chieftain of the APC until recently, and you even served in government. What were the reasons why you left the APC to join the Accord Party ahead of the election?

It’s a long story, but I’ll make it brief. It was due to lack of internal democracy. You want to do governorship primary; you are disqualifying people, and those that were disqualified were excommunicated. And in politics, you will agree with me that you join parties not because of your interest alone, but because somebody you love and you trust so strongly in, that he is going to promote your vision if in government.

You also do it because of your community ‘that in my community I want this, If I participate, I’ll get this’. By the time you are excommunicated, it means you have been ostracised from the party. And at my prime age, I was part of the funding of Alliance for Democracy; I served in a subcommittee. So, if at this time, somebody could have the temerity to excommunicate me and my leader, Iyiola Omisore, I have to leave the party. I told Senator Iyiola Omisore that I was leaving the party. He could not leave because he was part of the people who planted the seed of the party that eventually became APC. So, I have to part ways with them.

I was special adviser on education to the immediate past governor for four years. So, politics is about interest. If your interest does not lie there, you have to leave.

What do you think were the factors most responsible for Governor Adeleke’s stunning victory? Because he increased his vote share compared to the last election. He also increased his margin of victory from 20,000-plus votes to 66,000 votes. Why the increase in his popularity, even though he was battled and fought hard by the APC at both the state and federal levels?

The immediate past governor, who is now the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, has been the albatross of that party (APC). He expelled from the party-through his action and inaction-former governor Rauf Aregbesola, who even brought him into Osun. He (Oyetola) was not a politician before Aregbesola came here. It was Aregbe that brought Gboyega Oyetola as chief of staff. His (Oyetola’s) former boss for eight years was excommunicated too and eventually expelled from the party. So, he is a personality who does not want superior opinion. If you have your opinion, you keep it. You have to follow follow.

And in this generation, I am a graduate of about 30 years standing. If somebody wants to dictate my life to me at this age, the fellow will become a fool. So, he (Oyetola) is the albatross; he is the reason why people rejected APC in Osun, because of what he did while in office. You cannot equate a governor who paid the 29 (months’) salary arrears owed by the APC, who has given promotions with consequential adjustments and salary to the workers, who is constructing and making good our cities, to a government that only tarred two kilometres of road in Ile-Ife for four years. There was no way people will not reject APC because Oyetola is still there in that party. They have to remove him as the leader of the party before the people of Osun will show them mercy and kindness. So those are the major reasons.

Adeleke is performing. No government since the creation of Osun that has surpassed his achievements in three-and-a-half years. So that is the reason. And the people were resolute; they stood their ground, and they were committed to vote for him again.

Were you promised any incentives, any perks when joining the Accord Party? Because you were a chieftain of the APC in Osun, was there any agreement you reached with Accord before you joined them?

Before I joined Accord, I had resigned my membership of the APC for two months. So, it’s not a matter of negotiation. I took my time, purged myself of the nonsense called APC in Osun State. APC could be doing well in other states. But here (in Osun), it is a mess. So, I stood on my own for two months before I eventually joined Accord Party. No negotiation. To God who made me, I was never given anything when I joined Accord.

Now, what should Osun expect from Accord for the next four years? What are the programs, the projects, and the policies?

Osun Free Trade Zone will come alive. Governor Oyinlola started it about 15, 16 years ago, and we are going to complete it. There will be more jobs, more industrial investments in Osun State. And asides that, we are going to recruit teachers; we are going to recruit about 4,000 teachers, as soon as our economy gets improved. Then, we’re going to do investments in ICT because that drives the economy globally now. We have started it; we are going to complete it. And we are monitoring towns and cities so that there won’t be communal strife. So those are the immediate hanging fruits that our people will enjoy.

Governor Adeleke has consistently endorsed and supported President Bola Tinubu. Does this resonate with the people of Osun that they will vote for Accord in the governorship election, and then vote for APC at the presidential election?

Well, Accord does not have a presidential candidate. Second, the governor has integrity and maturity that he will not recant on whatever promise he has made. So, we are here; he leads, and we follow. He has instructed us that we are going to vote for Asiwaju come 2027. And we are going to campaign vigorously with artefacts and souvenirs to promote Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.