Olayiwola Matthew
Ademola Adeleke, Governor of Osun State, has dismissed a media report that he is planning to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In a statement on Wednesday, Olawale Rasheed, spokesperson for Adeleke, described the report as “a calculated attempt by those afraid of the governor’s soaring acceptability to create confusion and uncertainty in the minds of the people of Osun state.”
“Our attention has been drawn to a report that Governor Ademola Adeleke is planning to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC),” the statement reads.
“The report is not only untrue, but we want to reiterate for the umpteenth time that Governor Adeleke remains committed to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and has no plan whatsoever to join the ADC or any party for that matter.”
Rasheed said Adeleke is focused on “the continued delivery of dividends of democracy to Osun people who resoundingly gave him their mandates three years ago”.
He added that Adeleke and PDP leaders are working to strengthen party structures ahead of the ongoing voter registration.
“Those behind the latest round of misinformation are trying to latch onto the huge goodwill that Governor Adeleke enjoys with the Osun people to sway support,” he said.
“The series of unsolicited endorsements of Governor Adeleke is rattling those afraid of the will of the people.”
He urged the public to disregard any report linking the governor to defection and to mobilise support for his re-election bid under the PDP.
The PDP in Osun has lost members to the APC in recent months.
Wole Oke, a federal lawmaker representing Oriade/Obokun, left the PDP for the APC.
Two senators representing Osun East and Osun Central, Adenigba Fadahunsi and Olubiyi Fadeyi, also defected to the APC.