By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
Despite being in the Accord Party, Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke, has been adopted by the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as its candidate for the August 15 governorship election in the state.
The party’s decision was announced at an enlarged stakeholders’ meeting held at the party secretariat in Osogbo, the state capital, on Tuesday, March 3.
According to the Chairman of Osun PDP, Sunday Bisi, the decision was due to the leadership crisis at the national level of the PDP, which he said prevented the party from fielding a candidate for the election.
He added that the state chapter would not allow internal disputes at the national level to undermine the political future of the state.
Bisi further directed all party structures to support Adeleke’s re-election bid on the Accord Party platform.
He said: “After wide consultations with our elders, stakeholders, leaders across the three senatorial districts, and after careful consideration of the overriding interest of Osun people, the Osun State Chapter of the PDP hereby directs all our structures, from the polling units to the wards, from the wards to the local governments, and from the local governments to the state executive committee, to move en masse and give total, unalloyed, and uncompromising support to the re-election of Governor Ademola Adeleke under the platform of the Accord.”
In his response, Governor Adeleke acknowledged his former membership of the PDP and accepted the adoption, adding that his defection to the Accord Party was to secure the realisation of his re-election bid.
Adeleke said: “I love PDP, but I have to leave to escape being trapped for my re-election.
“I confided in some of our leaders that I trust. We started consulting and praying to God over it. We were guided to the Accord Party; you see that the party is the first on the ballot.”
Adeleke urged PDP members to vote for the Accord Party in the August 15 election, while expressing confidence that the electorate would support the continuation of his administration.
Recall that after resigning his membership of the PDP on December 2, 2025, citing the current crisis within the national leadership of the party, Adeleke formally joined the Accord Party on Tuesday, December 9.
