Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) amid the ongoing leadership crisis rocking the party.
Adeleke’s exit brings to six the number of governors who have left the party over the prolonged crisis. The others are Peter Mbah of Enugu State, Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom, Douye Diri of Bayelsa, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, and Agbu Kefas of Taraba.
In a letter dated November 4 and addressed to the PDP chairman of Ward 2, Ede, Osun State, Adeleke said he was quitting the party “due to the current leadership crisis of the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party.”
He expressed appreciation for the opportunity to serve both as Senator representing Osun West and as Governor of Osun State under the party.
The letter was received the same day by Kamoudeen Alamu, the ward chairman.
It was gathered that Osun PDP chairman, Sunday Bisi, later told journalists in Osogbo that Adeleke would no longer be seeking the party’s governorship ticket, despite being cleared as the sole aspirant ahead of the 2026 election.
Bisi noted that Adeleke had “fully complied with all requirements set out in the PDP’s timetable for nomination,” including purchasing and submitting the expression of interest and nomination forms between October 13 and 25, 2025, and appearing before the screening committee on October 30, where he was cleared and issued a Certificate of Clearance.
He said the internal crisis within the PDP escalated shortly after these processes were concluded.
According to him, the “suspension and counter-suspension of key national officers—officers central to the conduct of congresses, primaries, and transmission of candidates’ names to INEC—created uncertainty that directly impacted the schedule.”
Bisi added that the statutory ward and local government congresses slated for November 24 and 29, respectively, could not hold, as the issues affecting them were before various courts.
“In light of the foregoing, it has become inevitable, indeed unavoidable, that the PDP governorship primaries earlier slated for Tuesday, December 2, 2025, can no longer hold as scheduled,” he said.
He stressed that Adeleke remained the only aspirant who purchased and submitted forms and was duly screened, but said the governor “may no longer be interested in seeking the nomination of the PDP for the 2026 Osun gubernatorial election, except a resolution recognized by INEC is reached within the timeline.”
Bisi acknowledged that the conduct of primaries rests exclusively with the PDP National Secretariat once the leadership crisis is resolved.
“We also recognize our responsibility to the good people of Osun State. As a party built on transparency and trust, it is only proper that we keep our members and the public abreast of these developments,” he said.
He added that the party’s leadership at both state and national levels is working round the clock to ensure a lawful and timely resolution of the crisis.
