ADELEKE MAY WITHDRAW FROM 2026 OSUN GOVERNORSHIP RACE AMID PDP LEADERSHIP CRISIS - STATE CHAIRMAN

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

Governor Ademola Adeleke may no longer seek the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nomination for the 2026 Osun governorship election unless the party resolves its deepening leadership crisis within the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) timeline, the Osun State chapter of the party announced on Monday.

State PDP Chairman, Sunday Bisi, disclosed this while addressing journalists in Osogbo, noting that the internal turmoil rocking the PDP at the national level has crippled the party’s ability to conduct its scheduled governorship primary initially planned for December 2.

Bisi confirmed that Adeleke had fully complied with all requirements for nomination, including the purchase and submission of expression of interest and nomination forms between October 13 and 25, 2025. He also said the governor appeared before the screening committee on October 30 and was duly cleared with a Certificate of Clearance issued.

“But soon after these pre-primary processes were concluded, the internal imbroglio rocking the national leadership of our party escalated,” Bisi said.

He explained that the suspension and counter-suspension of key national officers who are crucial to the organisation of congresses, primaries, and transmission of candidates to INEC created severe uncertainty.

The crisis, he noted, prevented the statutory ward and local government congresses scheduled for November 24 and 29 from holding, thereby halting the emergence of delegates who would vote at the primary.

“These issues are currently before various courts across the country,” he added.

Bisi said the failure of the congresses made it “inevitable and unavoidable” that the December 2 primary could not hold.

He further stated: “Because of the internal crisis rocking the national leadership of our party, the information at my disposal is that Governor Ademola Adeleke may no longer be interested in seeking the nomination of the PDP for the 2026 Osun Gubernatorial Election, except a resolution recognised by INEC is reached within the INEC timeline.”

The national crisis has split the PDP into factions, raising fears over its preparedness ahead of the August 8, 2026 Osun governorship election.

According to INEC’s timetable, political parties have until December 15, 2025, to submit the names of their governorship candidates.