By John Dike, Osogbo
Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, and the leadership caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state have endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term.
Simultaneously, both the governor and the party debunked Adeleke’s rumored defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC), which rules at the federal level..
They took the decision during a meeting of the PDP Leadership Caucus held on Monday at the Government House in Osogbo.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, which was signed by Governor Adeleke and 27 top party stakeholders, they confirmed support for Tinubu’s 2027 presidential ambition while affirming Adeleke’s continued leadership of the PDP in the state.
The communiqué said the endorsement followed widespread consultations with traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil servants, market groups, and party members across the state on the political direction of the governor and the PDP.
The PDP leaders acknowledged President Tinubu as a son of Osun State, describing his presidency as a point of pride for the state.
The PDP chieftains stated that their support for Tinubu was rooted in local sentiment rather than political realignment.
Signatories to the communiqué include
- former Governor Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola;
- Deputy Governor Kola Adewusi;
- Senator Lere Oyewumi;
- Hon. Bamidele Salam,;
- Speaker Adewale Egbedun, and
- several serving and former lawmakers, commissioners, and senior party officials.
The caucus emphasized that while the idea of Governor Adeleke joining the APC had been widely discussed, it did not originate from the governor himself.
It noted that several APC leaders in Osun had expressed resentment towards Adeleke, while PDP members were divided—some unwilling to support defection, others pledging loyalty to Adeleke regardless of his political affiliation.
According to the communique, “The majority of PDP members in Osun are not in favor of any defection to APC,
“But out of love and loyalty, they had indicated readiness to follow Governor Adeleke wherever he decides to go. However, both the PDP and APC bases have expressed significant resistance to such a move.”
Despite the political tension, the caucus reaffirmed Adeleke’s popularity and acceptability in the state and endorsed him for a second term in office under the PDP in the 2026 governorship election.
The communiqué outlined key resolutions, including:
- Endorsing President Bola Tinubu, a son of Osun State, for re-election in 2027;
- Reaffirming support for Governor Adeleke’s second-term bid under the PDP;.
- Declaring that Governor Adeleke and PDP members in Osun will remain in the party;
- Mandating party leaders to disseminate the resolution across PDP structures statewide; and
- Urging Governor Adeleke to focus on delivering his administration’s Five-Point Agenda.
The decision is expected to reshape the political landscape ahead of the 2026 and 2027 elections in Osun State and beyond.
