Dare Babalola
A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State has gone ahead with its gubernatorial primary election in Osogbo, despite the withdrawal of Governor Ademola Adeleke from the contest and his resignation from the party.
Delegates and officials of the faction on Tuesday convened in Osogbo to conduct the party’s governorship primary.
Recall that Sunday Bisi, the Osun PDP state chairman, announced that the event has been postponed and would no longer hold as scheduled due to the leadership crisis at the national level.
A significant number of party members assembled at the Adolak Events Centre, Osogbo, on Tuesday morning, for the commencement of the primary election, which was conducted under stringent security measures.
Despite Adeleke’s resignation, a faction of the national leadership pushed forward with the primary, arguing that the governor’s exit didn’t alter the fact that he was the only candidate who had registered.
Bisi had told a group of journalists on Monday that the suspension and counter-suspension of key national officers responsible for overseeing primaries and submitting candidates’ names to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had created uncertainty.
He also suggested that the crisis within the party’s national leadership might discourage Adeleke from pursuing the PDP ticket for the 2026 Osun governorship election unless INEC-recognised resolutions were achieved on time.
Later on Monday, a letter dated November 4, 2025 and signed by Governor Ademola Adeleke surfaced online, confirming his resignation from the PDP and citing the leadership crisis as his reason.
Despite the governor’s exit, the PDP national secretariat reaffirmed its decision to hold the primary through a letter issued by the National Organising Secretary, Theophilus Shan, dated 1 December 2025.
The letter stated, “Sequel to the earlier notice of 28th October, 2025 to the gubernatorial primaries and the successful completion of congresses to elect ad-hoc delegates and National delegates in Osun State on the 24th and 29th of November, 2025, the Party hereby reminds strategic stakeholders and the general public that the primaries to elect the gubernatorial candidate will hold on December 2nd, 2025 at Atlantis Multipurpose Hall, Ring road, Osogbo, Osun State, 10am.”
It added that the Electoral Committee for the primary had been duly constituted and would supervise the exercise.
The statement cautioned: “The candidates cleared for the primaries are advised to behave in accordance with the provisions of our party’s constitution and in the interest of law and order, as any act of indiscipline will be severely punished.”
As of the time of filing this report, officials and members of the PDP were continuing with the primary expected to produce the party’s candidate for the 2026 Osun governorship election.
