July 20, (THEWILL) — Almost a year to the off-cycle governorship election in Osun State, Governor Ademola Adeleke is battling a major hurdle that is currently heating up the polity in the state. Should he defect to the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, or not? The question whether he should remain in his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, appears unnecessary as stakeholders having already expressed their desire to “follow him wherever he goes.”
Last Sunday, the leadership caucus of the PDP in Osun State passed a vote of confidence on Governor Adeleke, pledging full support for any decision he makes amid speculation of a possible defection.
Olawale Rasheed, the spokesperson to the Governor, said the leaders of the party reiterated their support for Adeleke during a high-level meeting held at Government House on Saturday in Osogbo.
Following a detailed briefing by the governor and deliberations by leaders, including lawmakers, party executives and former officials, party leaders from across state and national structures vowed to follow Adeleke “wherever he goes”, while noting he is still consulting on his next political steps.
The governor who was voted into office for the first term in 2022 and gearing for a second term, had consistently denied the rumour that he was planning to defect to the APC, but after a publicised visit to President Bola Tinubu in Aso Rock, shortly after his Delta counterpart, Sheriff Oborovweri, had defected from the PDP to the APC alongside his predecessor, Ifeanyi Okowa, local government chairmen, members of his cabinet and Akwa Ibom Governor Eno Umoh’s defection was being processed, the rumour took a life of its own until last Sunday when PDP stakeholders in the state agreed to support his move.
Furthermore, the governor’s body language had lent credence to his rumoured defection. He was conspicuously absent at the South-West caucus meeting of PDP held in Ibadan at the weekend, even before his spokesperson issued the statement of the PDP stakeholders’ support of his move.
One of the major reasons for his readiness to move, apart from securing the ticket for a second term, is the state government’s ongoing litigation with the Federal Government over the legitimacy of the Local Government Election held against the legal advice of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Kayode Fagbemi.
Sources say that the withholding of Osun local government funds over the absence of elected political functionaries at the local government councils has almost crippled the state financially, forcing the governor to seek a middle ground and plan to join the defection bandwagon for redemption.
Sources say, as a condition for getting the financial allocations released, the governor must join the ruling APC with a likely offer of automatic governorship ticket for the 2026 poll. But the Osun APC is pushing back, leaders and followers alike.
At the weekend, a pocket of APC youths stormed the Ogo Oluwa secretariat of the party protesting alleged imposition of Governor Adeleke as the candidate of the APC in the state by President Bola Tinubu.
The youth spokesperson who welcomed the rumoured plan by the governor to join their party, insisted that he would have to join the party through the normal channel and present himself as an aspirant to be voted for at the primary election along other aspirants.
Also at the weekend, former Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who had exchanged brickbat with Governor Adeleke over the latter’s claim that Osun got worse during the administration of the former, disclosed that Adeleke had perfected a plan to defect to the APC.
Osun APC spokesperson, Kola Olabisi, however, reacted immediately to the rumoured claims of defection, saying that Governor Adeleke has constitutional hurdles to cross before joining APC but for now, the governor remains in the PDP.
The party further said it observed that some of the allies of the governor had become ecstatic about the possibility of him joining APC, “which at the moment remains within the realm of speculation.
Olabisi said, “We want to state categorically and unequivocally that it is a lie from the pit of hell being told by the governor and his lieutenants that the state helmsman has defected into our party, as nothing of such is happening or being contemplated at all the levels of our party.
“At no time was there any pressure from the Presidency that Governor Adeleke should defect into our party, as it has been the rumour by the governor’s lieutenants and his co-travellers.”
Irked by what he described as an unwanted baggage, former APC National Chairman and one-time governor of the State, Bisi Akande has urged the governor to remain in PDP and help to resolve the crisis affecting the main opposition party in the country.
Chief Akande who described the governor’s defection plan as “politically dangerous, morally confusing and strategically ill-advised,” warned that allowing “Governor Adeleke to defect to the APC after benefiting from the platform of the now-crippled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would undermine the party’s credibility and insult the loyalty of long-standing APC members in Osun State.”
“Let him test his popularity at the 2026 polls. If the people of Osun still stand with him, he can then consider joining APC as a free citizen, not as a sitting governor hiding under a collapsing structure. The APC is not a refuge for collapsing politicians.” Akande added.
Akande said the APC was not formed to provide shelter for politicians seeking relevance after failure, but as a movement grounded in progressive ideas and accountable leadership. Governor Adeleke’s defection at this stage would distort that vision,” he said.
“Osun APC must not be sacrificed for temporary political deals. Those who have built the party from scratch, who stood firm through electoral defeats and court battles, cannot be asked to step aside for someone who only just yesterday led the charge against us.”
In the meantime, about nine stalwarts of the APC have thrown their hats into the ring for the governorship contest, brushing aside the possible defection of Governor Ademola.
They include the party’s National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, who said he would forgo his ambition only if the President Tinubu says so; Omooba Dotun Babayemi, Prof Rafiu Durodoye, Dr Akin Ogunbiyi, Senator Iyiola Omisore, Senator Mudasiru Hussen, Asiwaju Bola Oyebamiji and Chief Benedict Alabi.
Remarkably, the governor himself has uttered no word amid the swirling rumours around him.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
