The Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State has affirmed its full backing for Governor Ademola Adeleke’s second term ambition ahead of the 2026 governorship election, insisting that the party remains firmly united behind him despite his defection to the Accord Party.
The state PDP chairman, Sunday Bisi, said the party had resolved to deploy all its political structures to ensure Adeleke’s victory, stressing that the governor remains the party’s only recognised choice for the governorship race.
Bisi explained that Adeleke’s decision to leave the PDP was a strategic move aimed at avoiding possible disqualification arising from the lingering crisis within the party.
According to him, the move was taken in the collective interest of the party and the state.
He said, “The entire PDP structure in Osun will work for Adeleke’s victory. We do not have any other candidate apart from him, even though he is now contesting on the platform of the Accord Party. His defection was a doctrine of necessity and cannot be compared with how other governors left the PDP.”
Adeleke formally resigned from the PDP on November 4 and joined the Accord Party on December 9, where he emerged as the party’s governorship candidate for the 2026 election.
Despite his exit, the PDP conducted a governorship primary on December 2 in Osogbo, during which Adedamola Adebayo emerged as the party’s candidate after polling 919 votes out of the 957 accredited delegates. However, key party leaders, including Bisi, as well as elected and appointed office holders, were absent from the exercise.
Bisi maintained that the primary did not reflect the collective position of the party leadership, reiterating that the PDP had no parallel agenda outside securing Adeleke’s re-election.
He added that the governor’s popularity and record in office would strengthen the party’s campaign machinery, expressing confidence that these factors would secure Adeleke another term in office.
