Fresh controversy has emerged in Osun State politics following revelations by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that Governor Ademola Adeleke had considered defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but his plans reportedly collapsed after he was denied an automatic ticket.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the APC Director of Media and Information in Osun State, Kola Olabisi, described reports dismissing Adeleke’s defection intentions as false. He disclosed that the APC's national leadership made it clear to the governor that he would have to contest in the party’s primaries like every other aspirant, effectively rejecting his request for a direct ticket.
Olabisi accused Governor Adeleke of misleading PDP stakeholders by publicly denying the defection rumours. At a recent PDP meeting, Adeleke had labelled the rumours as "fake news spread by those threatened by our exceptional leadership performance in the state."
Reacting to the governor’s comments, Olabisi expressed disappointment, saying that efforts by South-West governors and influential business figures to broker Adeleke’s entry into the APC were well known. He cited alleged discreet late-night visits to prominent APC figures, including a visit to Chief Bisi Akande in Ibadan.
“Why would a governor with supposed strong political footing seek refuge in another party if he truly enjoys popularity?” Olabisi queried, suggesting that the move reflected internal dissatisfaction with the PDP and a lack of confidence in his political base.
The APC spokesman further criticized Adeleke’s administration, saying it had failed to deliver meaningful development nearly three years into his tenure, and warned against overestimating political influence in the face of dwindling public trust.
