Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has firmly dismissed growing speculation about his alleged defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), declaring his unwavering commitment to the party and to serving the people of the state.
The governor made the statement on Sunday during the flag-off of the 3.5km Ila township road dualisation project in Ila-Orangun, describing the rumour as baseless and politically motivated.
“I am going nowhere. I remain in the PDP,” Adeleke declared. “I have vowed to my God and to the good people of Osun that I will serve them with all I have, and I will not be distracted from that promise.”
Governor Adeleke, whose administration has reportedly completed the reconstruction and rehabilitation of over 175km of roads, also flagged off the second phase of the Ikirun-Ila-Odo dual carriageway—a project stretching 39km to the Osun-Kwara boundary.
“We are committed to delivering this second phase within 12 months. Our people deserve quality infrastructure, and that is what we are here to provide,” he said in Ikirun.
In response to the defection rumours, Bola Oyebamiji, an All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant and Chief Executive Officer of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), criticized Adeleke’s administration for what he described as “mismanagement of massive financial inflows” to the state.
Speaking during a visit to APC supporters in Ijesa-North Federal Constituency, Oyebamiji accused the Adeleke administration of squandering an alleged revenue inflow of over ₦1 trillion in the last 30 months.
“Despite the financial windfall—an increase of over 300% compared to previous administrations—there’s little to show. Voters will reject this failure in 2026,” Oyebamiji said.
He also reassured party members that there was no cause for alarm regarding the rumoured defection of Governor Adeleke to the APC.
“Our Minister, Adegboyega Oyetola, has asked me to tell you that there is no truth to the defection story. The APC remains united and focused on reclaiming Osun in 2026,” he added.
Meanwhile, former senator and APC chieftain Babajide Omoworare stirred conversation with a bold declaration that Adeleke did not win the 2022 governorship election on merit.
Speaking at the APC secretariat in Osogbo where he announced his intention to contest the 2026 gubernatorial election, Omoworare attributed the PDP victory to internal crises within the APC.
“Adeleke and the PDP didn’t win in 2022—the APC lost because of internal discord. But we’ve learned from our mistakes,” Omoworare said. “I have contested five times and never lost. By God’s grace, I am a five-star general in politics.”
He added that his return to the race was not a declaration, but a notification to begin a journey toward reclaiming Osun for the APC.
