The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has attributed Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke’s defection to unresolved internal crises, describing him as “a victim of circumstance.”
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, told Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Thursday that Adeleke’s departure stemmed from problems the party allowed to grow unchecked.
“Every problem is human-caused and therefore should have a human solution,” Ememobong said. “At the level of leadership to which he belonged, the party ought to have acted decisively. Timely and decisive intervention could have prevented the tensions that eventually pushed him out.”
He described the PDP’s internal troubles as self-inflicted, warning that political conflicts worsen when ignored.
“The challenge is that when we feed the monster without realizing we may end up in its belly, we become victims,” he said. “Time doesn’t solve problems on its own; human beings must solve them.”
Ememobong traced the cracks within the party to 2023, noting that the leadership chose negotiations over decisive action, hoping tempers would cool. “Sometimes they think people might reconsider their position, but unfortunately, it didn’t work,” he said.
He also identified the controversial PDP convention in Ibadan as a key trigger, which saw the expulsion of key members, the election of new national officers, and heightened hostilities. Adeleke’s exit, Ememobong said, was tied to “circumstances arising from vicarious liabilities which he cannot completely extricate himself from.”
Adeleke formally resigned from the PDP, the party under which he rose from senator to governor. In a post on his official X handle on December 2, he attached a resignation letter dated November 4, 2025, addressed to PDP Chairman of Ward 2, Sagba Abogunde in Ede North: “Due to the current crisis of the national leadership of the PDP, I hereby resign my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party with immediate effect.”
Following his resignation, Adeleke joined the Accord Party, having registered on November 6, 2025, weeks before his public announcement. He said the move came after consultations with political stakeholders and opinion leaders, and aligns with his commitment to citizens’ and workers’ welfare.
On Wednesday, Adeleke emerged as the Accord Party’s candidate for the August 8, 2026 governorship election. He was the sole aspirant in the primary held in Osogbo, polling 145 of 150 votes, with five votes voided, according to Abdulazeez Salaudeen, Secretary of the electoral committee.
