- …Adeleke may not be interested in seeking PDP nomination—Osun Party chair
The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised fresh uncertainty ahead of the 2026 governorship election, declaring that the Makinde-led faction, chaired by Kabiru Turaki, cannot proceed with its scheduled primary due to a deepening leadership crisis within the party.
The development has further fuelled speculation that Governor Ademola Adeleke may not seek the party’s ticket, despite having completed all nomination requirements.
Speaking at a press briefing with selected journalists at the party’s state secretariat, Osun PDP Chairman Hon. Sunday Bisi said the suspension and counter-suspension of key national officers—who play statutory roles in conducting congresses, primaries, and transmitting candidates’ names to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)—had thrown the process into disarray.
Bisi, whose chapter aligns with the Makinde faction according to Monday’s factional convention in Ibadan, said the turmoil at the national level had created unavoidable uncertainty that directly disrupted preparations for the primaries originally slated for Tuesday, December 2, 2025.
He said, “We want to brief you on developments within our party, particularly as they relate to the forthcoming governorship primaries. As responsible managers of the mandate freely given to the PDP by the people of Osun State, it is important that we keep our members and the entire citizenry properly informed.”
Bisi reaffirmed that Governor Ademola Adeleke had fulfilled all requirements set out in the party’s nomination timetable.
According to him, the governor purchased and submitted his expression of interest and nomination forms between October 13 and 25, 2025, before appearing before the party’s Screening Committee on October 30, where he was cleared without reservations and issued a Certificate of Clearance.
However, he noted that the post-screening period coincided with an intensified leadership struggle at the national level. “After these pre-primary processes were concluded, the internal imbroglio rocking the national leadership of our party escalated. The suspension and counter-suspension of key national officers created a level of uncertainty that directly impacted the planned schedule.”
With the crisis unresolved and the statutory officers unavailable to oversee the process, the Osun PDP declared that the governorship primary could not proceed as planned, leaving the party’s roadmap ahead of the 2026 election in limbo.
“This crisis reached a point where the statutory ad-hoc ward and local government congresses, scheduled for November 24th and 29th respectively, could not hold. These are the very congresses where delegates to the primaries are elected. As you are all aware, the issues leading to these disruptions are presently before various courts across the country.”
He continued, “In the light of the foregoing, it has become inevitable, indeed unavoidable, that the PDP governorship primaries earlier slated for Tuesday, December 2nd, 2025, can no longer hold as scheduled.
“It is equally important to restate, for the record, that Governor Ademola Adeleke remains the sole aspirant who purchased, submitted, and was duly screened in line with the party’s official timetable.
“However, because of the internal crisis rocking the national leadership of our party, the information at my disposal is that Governor Ademola Adeleke may not, any 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 INEC timeline.”
He stressed, “While we acknowledge that the conduct of primaries rests exclusively with the National Secretariat of the PDP, when the current leadership crisis is finally 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.
“We assure you that the leadership of the party, both at the state and national levels, is working around the clock to ensure a lawful, workable, and timely resolution to the challenges at hand.”