The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that Governor Ademola Adeleke was denied entry into the party, describing him as “a liability” and accusing him of seeking political refuge ahead of the 2026 governorship election.
Amid weeks of speculation over Adeleke’s alleged plans to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, the PDP caucus in Osun on Monday reaffirmed support for the governor’s re-election bid and endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a second term in 2027.
The caucus also dismissed defection rumours, claiming they did not originate from Adeleke.
But in a statement issued on Wednesday, Tajudeen Lawal, Osun APC chairman, said the governor’s covert moves to join the APC had been resisted by party members who viewed him as a threat to the party’s integrity.
“The Osun public is aware that the governor sought refuge in the APC out of fear of defeat in 2026,” Lawal said.
“The PDP has become a leprous house, deserted by well-meaning politicians. What’s left are political dregs with no electoral value.”
Lawal accused the PDP caucus of misleading the public by claiming Adeleke was never interested in joining the APC. According to him, the party quickly identified Adeleke as “a Trojan horse” whose defection would harm its public image.
He further criticised the state of the PDP in Osun, claiming it had lost credibility after the 2023 elections and had become “a private property of the Adeleke dynasty.”
“Bright minds and people with good names to protect, who could not tolerate the deceit, shenanigans, and high-level corruption and brigandage the Adeleke government represents, daily troop out from the tattered umbrella into our party,” he said.
“Thus leaving the PDP with carcasses and political dregs, with no structure and no hope to retain power in future elections.”
Lawal also dismissed the PDP caucus’s claim that it remains the most popular party in Osun, describing it as “self-consolatory” and not backed by evidence.
“Did the caucus aggregate the opinions of the parents and students of the University of Ilesa, where students are charged N1.5 million per session, before arriving at its claim?” he asked.
“Did the caucus seek the opinion of the Osun State public, who are angry that Governor Adeleke devoted N13 billion to purchase luxury cars for his aides and unproductive politicians without buying a single bus to ease public transport in the state?”
The APC chairman also referenced unresolved violence from the last election, including the killing of Remi Abass, a former local government chairman and Tinubu campaigner, as a reason why the governor’s defection was unacceptable.
He alleged that some PDP figures are under investigation by anti-corruption agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).
Lawal criticised Adeleke for what he described as hypocrisy, attacking Tinubu’s administration locally while posing as an ally at the federal level.
He said Adeleke had failed to use the state’s increased federal allocations to improve the lives of Osun residents and claimed the people welcomed news of the governor’s failed attempt to join the APC.
“Adeleke and the PDP should stop complaining and prepare to face the electorate’s judgement in 2026,” he added.
