Governor Ademola Adeleke, former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and prominent PDP leaders publicly announced their support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 reelection campaign on Tuesday, igniting Osun State’s political climate.
The announcement, which was made in a statement following a meeting with prominent stakeholders, also put an end to rumours that Adeleke would defect to the All Progressives Congress and reaffirmed his commitment to staying in the PDP.
The African Democratic Congress, however, strongly criticised the move, accusing Adeleke of political uncertainty and stating that his support for Tinubu would not prevent him from losing the 2019 Osun governorship race.
The statement provided to the press following the state PDP chieftains’ meeting on Tuesday disclosed the governor’s choice to support Tinubu while staying in the party.
Former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Deputy Governor Kola Adewusi, Osun East Senatorial District legislator Lere Oyewumi, Osun PDP chairman Sunday Bisi, former PDP National Secretary Prof. Wale Oladipo, and others were on the meeting’s rollcall.
“The PDP in Osun State acknowledges that Osun State is President Bola Tinubu’s ancestral home, making the President a son of Osun State,” the stakeholders decided.
“Therefore, the PDP in Osun State hereby adopts and endorses President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for re-election in the 2027 presidential election.”
The meeting also declared support for Adeleke’s sole candidature of the party for the Osun governorship election in 2026.
“PDP in Osun State reaffirms its adoption and endorsement of Governor Ademola Adeleke for re-election in the 2026 governorship election on the platform of the PDP.
“Governor Ademola Adeleke and all members of the PDP in Osun State should remain in the PDP. The leadership of the PDP in Osun State is directed to disseminate the resolution to all structures of the party in the state,” the communique read.
Reacting to the development, the Osun State chairman of the ADC, Charles Omidiji, said Adeleke’s refusal to join the APC may not eventually save him from defeat.
Omidiji subsequently declared that ADC, a party that has ex-Governor Rauf Aregbesola as its Interim National Secretary, would win the next Osun governorship poll.
“If he doesn’t join the APC again, it will only reduce the margin of the loss awaiting him at the poll.
“If he had defected, that would have been the end of both the APC and PDP in Osun. But whatever happens, ADC will produce the next Osun governor,” he said.
Giving reasons for Adeleke’s decision not to join the APC, despite months of speculations, the communique read, “The majority of the members of the APC in Osun State are opposed to the idea of the defection of Governor Adeleke to the APC, which did not originate from the governor in the first instance.
“Some APC leaders, based on entrenched interests, have demonstrated hostility and resentment towards Governor Ademola Adeleke. Some went on social media and national television to call Governor Adeleke all kinds of unprintable names.
“The majority of PDP members in Osun State are not happy about the idea of the defection of Governor Adeleke to the APC, but reluctantly agreed to follow Governor Adeleke to whichever party he goes to show their love, support and loyalty to his leadership.”
