Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has firmly dismissed reports suggesting he plans to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Through a statement released Saturday by his media aide, Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke characterized the defection rumors as baseless and driven by political motives. He called on citizens to ignore what he termed misleading information.
“I want to reassure the people of Osun that I remain a committed member of the PDP family. There are no plans to join any other political party,” the governor stated.
Adeleke emphasized his dedication to executing his administration’s five-point development agenda and pledged to continue working toward delivering effective governance and meaningful benefits to Osun residents.
The defection speculation emerged after opposition figures embraced the African Democratic Congress (ADC), leading to suggestions that Adeleke might become the first sitting governor to join the new coalition.
Persistent rumors about a potential move to the APC have also circulated, though Adeleke has consistently rejected such possibilities.
The governor faces re-election on August 8, 2026, in one of Nigeria’s off-cycle gubernatorial contests.
Given the ongoing leadership disputes within the PDP and the exodus of several party members, observers have speculated that Adeleke might seek a new political platform to strengthen his electoral prospects.
In related developments, former Osun Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who now serves as interim National Secretary of the ADC, has instructed party supporters to avoid confrontational tactics while continuing to draw attention to Nigeria’s economic difficulties under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
In a Friday statement posted on his social media accounts, the former Interior Minister expressed gratitude to ADC members who welcomed him at Lagos airport.
Aregbesola advised that when faced with criticism from ruling party supporters, ADC members should respond with factual information about Nigeria’s current state.
“I deeply appreciate our ADC supporters and members who turned out to welcome me in Lagos. We face significant challenges ahead, and I emphasized that confrontation, insults, or attacks are unnecessary.
“When others engage in personal attacks or name-calling, we must maintain our dignity. Simply pose this question: Are Nigerians living better today than previously? Present them with concrete data on food price increases, economic performance, rising living costs, and the expanding poverty that affects millions,” his statement partly read.
