Politics

Defection drama: APC, PDP exchange barbs over Adeleke’s U-turn

Published

9 months ago

July 24, 2025

The Osun State chapters of the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party have traded words over the aborted defection plan of Governor Ademola Adeleke.

The APC said Adeleke was rejected because he would be a liability and would hurt the integrity of the party.

But the PDP, which insisted it would not join issues with the opposition party, said Osun people would decide and defend their votes in 2026.

The spokesperson for Osun APC, Kola Olabisi, in a statement obtained in Osogbo on Wednesday, recalled that a caucus in the Osun PDP, in a communique signed by Adeleke and 27 other chieftains of the party, decried the resistance against the planned defection of the governor to the national ruling party.

“We state first of all that the highly informed Osun State public, who are aware that it was the fear of the impending 2026 election defeat that motivated the governor to desperately seek in our party an asylum for his political survival in 2026, are excited about the measured treatment meted to the Osun State governor and his desperate party men.

“Those who rejected the defection of Adeleke to the APC knew the intention was deceptive and was solely because of the troubled re-election bid of the governor, having regard that the same PDP is daily recruiting canvassers and opinion moulders to tarnish the image of President Tinubu on the radio and television in the state, while he is all over Abuja pretending to be friends of the President.

“You cannot be criticising, rubbishing and abusing the national leader of our party, President Bola Tinubu, at the corners of the state and at the same time be putting up a friendly posture, all in the interest of your desperate re-election bid which has hit the rock before the election proper,” Olabisi said.

Reacting, the Osun PDP chairman, Mr Sunday Bisi, said his party remained focused on the people and was not seeking to import fake voters and rig the 2026 election as being plotted by the opposition.

“The party declared that its position on the 2026 and 2027 race remains sacrosanct, even as it noted that the Osun people have the records of performance of all parties and will make their choice.

“We won’t join issues with the opposition. We have no plan to rig the 2026 election. We are sure Osun people will vote for PDP and stand by their votes next year.

“Our records of good performance speak for us,” he said.

Bisi also said Osun PDP remained a solid platform, insisting that Adeleke would be victorious in the 2026 governorship election.

He assured party members that through their support, President Bola Tinubu would also win his re-election.

Amid a gale of defections ravaging the PDP in Osun State, 25 lawmakers elected on the platform of the party have pledged their loyalty to the governor.

The members also dismissed rumours purporting that they may also dump PDP, saying they had all resolved to work for the PDP and Adeleke’s victory in the next governorship poll.

At the last count, five federal lawmakers from Osun elected on the PDP platform had resigned their membership of the party.

The member representing Oriade/Obokun Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Oluwole Oke, was the first to resign from PDP.

Senator Francis Fadahunsi, representing Osun East and his colleague, Olubiyi Fadeyi, representing Osun Central, also resigned their PDP membership.

On Wednesday, letters of resignation of Abimbola Ajilesoro, representing Ife Central/East/North/South in the House of Representatives and his counterpart, Sanya Ominrin, representing Ijesa South Federal Constituency, were obtained by The PUNCH, fuelling insinuations that some state lawmakers may also follow suit.

Dispelling the rumour while addressing journalists in Osogbo on Wednesday, the Speaker, Mr Adewale Egbedun, declared that the 25 lawmakers would not abandon the PDP.

He stated readiness to work towards bringing the only APC members in the House into the PDP fold, to further strengthen Adeleke’s chances in the next governorship poll.

“The 25 members of the Osun State House of Assembly elected on the platform of the PDP are united, loyal and fully committed to the government of Governor Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke and to the party that brought us here, which is the PDP.

“There is no division in this House. There is no defection. There is no crisis. The rumours flying around are simply rumours, and we are not in the business of chasing shadows.

“We, the honourable members, are men of honour. We are not for sale. We are not moved by noise or pressure. We hold the mandate of our people and we intend to keep that trust with dignity, loyalty and a clear conscience,” he said.

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Politics

Wike-backed PDP fixes presidential form at N51m, gov N21m

Published

6 hours ago

April 22, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has fixed its presidential nomination and expression of interest forms at ₦51m and governorship form at ₦21m ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The PDP National Organising Secretary of the faction, Umar Bature, disclosed this in a timetable made available to journalists on Wednesday.

According to the schedule, the faction will submit its register to the Independent National Electoral Commission on April 21, 2026, and notify the commission of its primaries on April 22.

The timetable shows that the expression of interest form for all positions costs ₦1m, while nomination fees vary across offices.

Aspirants for State Houses of Assembly are to pay ₦2m, House of Representatives ₦3m, Senate ₦5m, governorship ₦20m, and presidential aspirants ₦50m.

The sale of forms will begin on April 27 and close on May 4, while the deadline for submission of completed forms is May 9.

Screening of aspirants for State Houses of Assembly, National Assembly and governorship positions is scheduled for May 11, while that of presidential aspirants will hold on May 12.

The presidential primary has been fixed for May 18, while governorship primaries will be held on May 27.

House of Representatives primaries are scheduled for May 21 and Senate primaries for May 23, while State Houses of Assembly primaries will hold between May 21 and May 24. Appeals are expected to be concluded by May 30, 2026.

Bature added that female aspirants would only pay the expression of interest fee for their respective positions.

The PDP has been embroiled in an internal crisis, leading to a split into two factions—one led by Tanimu Turaki and supported by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, and the other led by Abdulrahman Mohammed with the backing of Wike.

Several cases filed by both factions are pending in court.

At the Supreme Court on Wednesday, the justices said a date for judgment would be communicated to the parties.

Post Views: 20

Politics

Supreme Court reserves judgment in PDP leadership dispute

Published

6 hours ago

April 22, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

The Supreme Court of Nigeria on Wednesday, reserved judgment in the appeal filed by the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, challenging the nullification of its 2025 national convention.

A five-member panel led by Justice Lawal Garba announced that a date for judgment would be communicated to all parties after counsel adopted their final written addresses.

The Turaki faction is seeking to overturn the March 9 ruling of the Court of Appeal, which affirmed earlier decisions invalidating the party’s Ibadan convention held on November 15 and 16, 2025.

At the apex court, the faction argued that the dispute falls within internal party affairs and is therefore not justiciable, insisting that due process was followed in organising the convention.

However, lower courts had consistently ruled against the group, nullifying the exercise, restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising its outcome, and issuing orders affecting access to the party’s national secretariat.

The appellate court had upheld two judgments of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which barred the PDP from conducting the convention pending compliance with the Electoral Act and the 2022 Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties.

In one of the decisions, Justice James Omotosho held that the party failed to conduct valid state congresses as required by law and its constitution, thereby invalidating the planned convention.

Similarly, Justice Peter Lifu restrained the party from proceeding with the convention until it allowed former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, to participate in the national chairmanship race after finding he was unjustly excluded.

The suits leading to the rulings were instituted by aggrieved party members, including state executives from Imo, Abia, and the South-South zone, setting the stage for the protracted leadership crisis now before the apex court.

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Politics

Oyebanji re-election in Ekiti will validate Tinubu’s influence — APC chieftain

Published

15 hours ago

April 22, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress and House of Representatives aspirant, Henrich Akomolafe, has said the expected victory of Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, in the June 20, 2026, election would serve as a referendum on the leadership of President Bola Tinubu.

Speaking with journalists during a political consultation meeting on Tuesday, Akomolafe framed the Ekiti poll as more than a state contest, arguing that it would also reflect public confidence in the broader direction of the APC-led Federal Government.

He described Oyebanji as a performer and bridge-builder whose administration has brought stability, development and renewed confidence in governance in Ekiti State.

According to him, the governor’s leadership style—anchored on service, humility and visible results—has strengthened public trust and positioned him for electoral success.

“Ekiti people are politically conscious and always assess performance before making electoral decisions. Governor Oyebanji has built trust through his record, and that trust will translate into votes,” he said.

Akomolafe added that Oyebanji’s policies prioritised the welfare of workers, youths, farmers and traditional institutions, noting that his inclusive governance approach had helped sustain peace and unity across the state.

The APC chieftain also linked the governor’s anticipated victory to growing acceptance of Tinubu’s economic reforms, which he described as bold but necessary steps toward long-term national stability.

“Transformational leadership requires courage. The support Oyebanji will receive will also reflect public understanding of the President’s vision,” he added.

While acknowledging the short-term hardships associated with ongoing reforms, Akomolafe maintained that many Nigerians were beginning to see their long-term benefits.

He further called for unity within the party, particularly in Ekiti South Federal Constituency I, urging intensified grassroots mobilisation to secure victory for the APC across all levels in the election.

Akomolafe also appealed to youths, women and community leaders to rally behind leaders committed to service delivery, stressing that the upcoming governorship poll would be pivotal to consolidating development gains and sustaining peace in Ekiti State.