Amid ongoing speculation about Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke’s rumored defection, former All Progressives Congress (APC) National Secretary Iyiola Omisore has described Adeleke as a “[political] orphan” struggling to gain entry into the ruling party.
Omisore dismissed claims that Adeleke is being courted by the APC following meetings with his family, President Bola Tinubu, and party leaders.
“I’ve not seen a situation where a state governor is struggling to enter another party. One, the PDP is no longer popular in Osun; half of its members have defected. The Aregbesola faction has now moved to ADC. So he [Adeleke] is now a [political] orphan. If they are coming to the APC, they should come home and talk to us,” Omisore said on Wednesday’s Politics Today.
“There was a meeting that we saw his elder brother, the businessman, the widow’s father [a reference to Adedeji Adeleke], and himself, met with the President in Lagos. They also reached out to Dapo Abiodun, the governor of Ogun State, to bring him [Adeleke] into the party. So they are struggling,” he added.
The senator criticized Adeleke’s alleged move from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, questioning the governor’s political standing.
“As a governor, if you are popular enough, go and take another party. Look at Governor Orji Kalu in 2007 — he formed PPA and won in Abia. The current governor of Abia [Alex Otti] left the APC, joined a new party, and won as well.
“I’ve never seen a governor begging to enter a party in my life. This is the first time. He’s strongly begging, fighting to get into a party. The point is that when you want to come to a party, there must be a willing section of the party members. You must come to the home because politics is very local. What are they bringing to the party?” Omisore said.
Omisore also questioned Adeleke’s political relevance, noting that despite governing Osun for three years, there has been no significant defection from APC to PDP.
“In the 2022 election, APC garnered 375,000 votes, and PDP had 403,000 votes. The difference between them was 3.97 per cent. That margin included the efforts of people who worked against APC, like former governor Aregbesola and other PDP leaders, who have now joined the APC.
“Meanwhile, at least one-seventh of PDP members have moved to APC people like Alhaji Isa Oyedokun, Dayo Babayemi, and Hon. Wole Oke and more are still coming,” he stated.
Despite these claims, Governor Adeleke has repeatedly denied any intention to defect. On 5 July, he posted a statement on his official X account reaffirming his loyalty to the PDP.
“I have been inundated with calls regarding rumours of a possible defection. I want to assure the good people of Osun State and Nigerians at large: I remain a loyal member and the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State.
“My focus remains on delivering good governance and fulfilling our 5-point agenda for the Osun people. Please disregard the fake news and continue to support our mission for a better Osun State,” he wrote.
This is not the first time Adeleke has addressed defection rumors. In May, during a meeting with key stakeholders, he reiterated his commitment to the PDP and denied plans to join the APC.
The rumors intensified after Adeleke, his brother Adedeji Adeleke, and nephew—Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido—paid a private visit to President Tinubu at his Ikoyi residence in Lagos on 3 June.
The governor’s comments come amid ongoing internal disputes within the PDP and a wave of defections from the main opposition party.
