The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State, Sunday Bisi, has reaffirmed the party’s unwavering commitment to the re-election of Governor Ademola Adeleke in the 2026 governorship election, even after the governor’s recent defection to the Accord Party.
Speaking in an interview with Sunday Punch, Bisi made it clear that the PDP in Osun has no alternative governorship aspirant and remains firmly aligned with Adeleke’s second-term ambition. He described the governor’s exit from the PDP as a strategic and unavoidable decision, driven by circumstances beyond personal or political ambition.
Governor Adeleke formally resigned from the PDP on November 4 and later joined the Accord Party on December 9, where he emerged as the party’s flagbearer for the 2026 governorship race. According to Bisi, the move was carefully calculated to protect Adeleke’s candidacy amid the internal leadership and legal disputes troubling the PDP at the national level.
Bisi explained that the party’s crisis posed a serious threat to Adeleke’s eligibility if he had remained within the PDP platform. He noted that there was a strong possibility the governor’s nomination could have been challenged or invalidated, prompting party leaders in the state to adopt what he termed a “doctrine of necessity.”
“With the way the crisis within the PDP was developing, it became clear that Adeleke’s candidacy could be jeopardized. To avoid any last-minute disqualification, we had to take a precautionary step. That is why the governor is contesting the election under the Accord Party,” Bisi explained.
Despite Adeleke’s departure, the PDP proceeded with its governorship primary election on December 2 in Osogbo, during which Adedamola Adebayo emerged as the party’s candidate after securing 919 votes out of the 957 cast by accredited delegates. However, the exercise was largely boycotted by influential PDP stakeholders in the state, including Bisi himself and other party leaders loyal to Adeleke, many of whom currently hold elected or appointed positions.
Bisi emphasized that the primary did not reflect the collective will of the Osun PDP, insisting that the party’s grassroots structure, leadership, and supporters are united behind Adeleke. He expressed confidence that the governor’s track record in office, combined with his popularity among residents, would ensure a decisive victory in the 2026 election.
“Adeleke will win the 2026 governorship election. The entire PDP structure in Osun State will work tirelessly to secure his victory. We do not recognize any other candidate. Our support remains fully with him, even though he is contesting on another platform,” Bisi stated.
Addressing comparisons with past instances where PDP governors defected to other parties, Bisi dismissed such parallels, arguing that Adeleke’s situation was unique and justified by prevailing political realities.
“This is not a conventional defection. It is a doctrine of necessity, and it should not be compared with how other PDP governors left the party in the past,” he concluded.
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