March 02, (THEWILL) — Six members of the House of Representatives elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Osun State have defected to the Accord Party, in a move seen as a major boost to the re-election bid of Governor Ademola Adeleke ahead of the August 15 governorship poll.
The lawmakers announced their defection on Monday, during the Accord Party’s stakeholders’ meeting held in Osogbo, the state capital.
Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Clement Akanni, who represents Boluwaduro/Ifedayo/Ila Federal Constituency, expressed confidence that Adeleke would secure a landslide victory at the forthcoming election.
Akanni urged members and supporters of the Accord Party to turn out in large numbers to vote and to remain vigilant throughout the electoral process to ensure that their votes are protected. He stated that he and the five other federal lawmakers joined the Accord Party to strengthen support for Adeleke’s second-term ambition and to align with what he described as a growing political movement in the state.
The other defecting lawmakers are Mahruf Adewale (Osogbo Federal Constituency), Bamidele Salam (Ede Federal Constituency), Soji Adetunji (Ikirun Federal Constituency), Mudashiru Lukman Alani (Iwo Federal Constituency), and Lanre Oladebo (Irewole/Isokan Federal Constituency).
Addressing party stakeholders, Adeleke said his earlier decision to leave the PDP was guided by deep reflection and spiritual consultation amid internal challenges within the party.
“I love the PDP, but I had to leave to avoid being trapped ahead of my re-election”, the governor said.
He disclosed that he consulted trusted political leaders and engaged in prayers before deciding to join the Accord Party.
“We were eventually guided to the Accord Party. As you can see, the party is first on the ballot. You should vote massively for the Accord Party and victory will be guaranteed for us”, Adeleke said.
The governor also expressed appreciation to members of the PDP for their support over the years, noting that he still considers himself part of the PDP family despite his defection.
“I thank the PDP family because I am part of that family. I appreciate today’s endorsement and accept it wholeheartedly. I also thank the Accord Party for accepting me”, he added.
In his remarks, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Lasun Yusuf, said the wave of defections signalled growing confidence in Adeleke’s leadership and urged party faithful to remain united and committed to securing victory at the polls.
Governor Adeleke defected from the PDP to the Accord Party on December 9, 2025. Similarly, 25 members of the Osun State House of Assembly elected on the party platform defected to the Accord Party on February 27.
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