Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, has explained why Governor Ademola Adeleke resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Tribune Online reports that the governor, in a statement released on Monday, confirmed that he submitted his resignation to party officials in Sagba Abogunde, Ward 2, Ede North Local Government, on November 4, 2025.

Speaking on a radio programme, Rave FM’s Frank Talk monitored by our correspondent on Tuesday, Alimi said the governor’s decision was not sudden but the outcome of lingering issues within the PDP.

According to Alimi, the governor had already made up his mind and had written his resignation letter since November 4.

He said, “The governor of Osun state and the Asiwaju of Ede has formally resigned his membership from the People Democratic Party. The governor has done this and has written his resignation letter for quite a long time.”

He added that the governor appreciates the support he has received from the people of Osun state and urged citizens to remain calm and continue backing him.

“It was long overdue. We appreciate the people for their support, and we can only urge the people to continue to support the governor,” he said, citing a Yoruba literally translates to mean the people are the governor’s protectors. “Immediately, I see many people around me, I will always be happy and be joyous.”

Speaking on the reasons for the governor’s exit, the commissioner noted that the internal crisis at the PDP national level played a major part, especially with the approaching governorship election and the tightening nomination timeline.

He explained, “The governor is happy with the reaction so far and everybody understand that had it not been the fact the crisis or division at the national level, which will play a very crucial role in the nomination of the governor, the governor wouldn’t have defected, it’s not even about the issue of defection, it’s about facing reality as our own election is coming up on August but the INEC window for nomination is closing by December 15 so that’s why the governor has to resign.”

Speaking on the assumption that the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) is happy that the governor is leaving the PDP, the commissioner said the purported happiness within opposition camp is a pretense.

According to him, the governor resigned from the PDP because he is very smart and was miles ahead of the APC, which thought Adeleke would be gullible to contest under a crisis-infested party.

“They’re pretending, they know what has hit them. They thought he would be a stupid person, so that they would now be able to use that one to challenge him. When you see the problem of the PDP, those people causing problems for us in the PDP are apologists for other political parties.

“So, the APC in Osun thought Adeleke would be so gullible to the extent of contesting in the PDP so as to use the problem in the national to file a case against him. And continue to fight him on all fronts, but Adeleke is smarter. Now, they know every step they take, Adeleke is always ahead of them; they’re not happy,” he said.

On whether the governor has chosen a new party, Alimi said discussions are ongoing and that clarity will come soon.

He stated, “As per the question where the governor is going, let us take it one after the other because an election is a process. He has resigned now, but let’s say on or before December 12 or 13, everybody would have known that one because the deadline for the nomination, primary, and some other things for the political parties is December 15.”

Alimi stressed that Adeleke’s resignation was avoidable and only happened because of the division within the party.

“Had it been that the PDP is not fractionalized at the national level, there wouldn’t be any reason for Gov Ademola Adeleke to have resigned from PDP.” (TRIBUNE)