Leadership Rift Deepens in Osun PDP Over Adeleke’s Re-election Bid

A fresh leadership crisis has erupted within the Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the party’s caretaker committee distanced itself from a directive endorsing Governor Ademola Adeleke for re-election on the platform of the Accord Party

The controversy followed a resolution announced in Osogbo by Sunday Bisi, former chairman of the party’s State Working Committee prior to its dissolution by the PDP’s national leadership.

Bisi had directed party members to support Adeleke’s second-term ambition in the 2026 governorship election under the Accord Party.

However, the caretaker committee constituted by the PDP national body and led by Tunde Tijani, with Seyi Bamidele as secretary, described the directive as invalid and without effect.

In a statement issued on Monday, Bamidele said the dissolved executive lacked the authority to issue instructions on behalf of the party.

“Such a directive is null, void, and of no consequence,” he stated, adding that decisions relating to alliances or political coalitions fall strictly within the powers of the party’s national leadership.

“No individual or dissolved organ has the power to appropriate that responsibility,” he added.

The disagreement stems from an enlarged stakeholders’ meeting held in Osogbo, during which Bisi reportedly directed party structures at polling unit, ward and local government levels to align with Adeleke’s re-election project on the Accord platform.

According to Bisi, the decision was reached after careful consideration of the interests of Osun residents.

“All our structures, from the polling units to the state executive committee, are hereby directed to give total support to the re-election of Governor Ademola Adeleke under the platform of the Accord,” he declared.

He described the move as strategic, citing infrastructure projects across Osogbo, Ilesa, Ile-Ife, Ede, Iwo and Ila, as well as improvements in primary healthcare delivery.

However, the caretaker committee maintained that the PDP in Osun remains intact and committed to contesting the forthcoming governorship election under its own platform.

Bamidele affirmed that party structures from ward to state levels remain functional and loyal to the PDP.

“We are fully mobilising for the August 15 gubernatorial election and are confident that our party will be duly represented on the ballot,” he said.

The development highlights ongoing internal disagreements within the Osun PDP over leadership authority and the party’s political direction ahead of the 2026 governorship poll.