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Gov Adeleke, at the centre of the controversy engulfing Osun State
There is confusion over the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) governorship primaries for Osun State, where Governor Ademola Adeleke is the sole contestant.
The confusion arose on Monday with conflicting directives issued by the National Working Committee (NWC) and the Osun state chapter of the party over the status of the primaries fixed for Tuesday, December 2.
But feelers from Osogbo, the Osun state capital, showed that Adeleke appeared to have foreclosed picking the ticket of the party ahead of the 2026 governorship election in the state.
While the Tanimu Turaki-led NWC reaffirmed that the primaries would be held as scheduled, the Osun chapter countered that it had been postponed on account of the internal leadership crisis rocking the opposition party.
The National Organising Secretary of the Turaki camp, Honourable Theophilus Dakas Shan, in a statement in Abuja, asked party members to turn out on Tuesday to elect their governorship candidate.
The party said, “Sequel to the earlier notice of 28th October, 2025 to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of our Party’s gubernatorial primaries, and the successful completion of congresses to elect ad hoc delegates and National delegates in Osun State on the 24th and 29th of November, 2025, the party hereby reminds strategic stakeholders and the general public that the primaries to elect the gubernatorial candidate will hold as follows.”
The camp named Atlantis Multipurpose Hall, Ring Road, Osogbo, as the venue of the primaries to begin at 10 a.m.
The state chairman of the party, Honourable Sunday Bisi, however, announced the postponement of the primary, saying the development was due to the internal crisis rocking the party.
According to him, “Due to unresolved disputes within the national leadership, information available suggests that Governor Adeleke may withdraw from seeking the PDP nomination, unless a resolution recognised by INEC is reached within the stipulated electoral timeline.”
He added: “The internal crisis at the national level of the PDP worsens, leading to suspensions of key officers whose roles are critical to the conduct of congresses and primaries.
“The leadership tussle, currently before various courts across the country, resulted in the failure to hold the ad-hoc ward and local government congresses scheduled for November 24th and 29th, 2025, where delegates to the primaries would have been elected.
“In the light of these developments, it has become inevitable that the PDP governorship primaries can no longer hold as scheduled.”
He assured that efforts are ongoing to achieve a lawful, workable, and timely resolution to the crisis.
The party Chairman noted that Governor Adeleke has fully complied with all procedural requirements outlined in the PDP timetable for nomination.
“The Governor purchased and submitted his expression of interest and nomination forms within the stipulated window of October 13th to 25th, 2025. He also appeared before the party’s Screening Committee on Thursday, October 30th, 2025, where he was cleared and issued a Certificate of Clearance before the crisis.”
He stressed that Governor Adeleke remains the only aspirant who purchased, submitted, and was duly screened in line with the party’s official timetable.
The development came amid rumours that the governor might have already completed a move to another political platform to actualise his second-term ambition.
He has been linked with a move to a number of political parties, including Accord Party.
The PDP is currently factionalised between two camps – one led by Turaki as the national chairman, while another is led by Alhaji Mohammed Abdulrahman, a loyalist of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Mr. Nyesom Wike. (Nigerian Tribune)