Olayiwola Matthew
In a move that has reshaped the political landscape of Osun, the State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, and leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state have officially endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a second term ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
They said that the decision to endorse the president, who is their son, is to assist him in completing the ongoing restructuring exercise embarked upon by his government to make the country a destination for foreign investors.
The decision to endorse Tinubu was reached yesterday during a high-level stakeholders’ meeting convened at the Government House, Oke-Fia, Osogbo, the state capital.
The meeting brought together key political figures including Adeleke’s deputy, Kola Adewusi, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, former governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and 24 other prominent PDP leaders.
The endorsement, formally captured in a communiqué issued after the meeting, emphasized the strategic importance of local politics and the prevailing sentiments among grassroots supporters.
The statement dismissed recent speculation about Adeleke’s purported plans to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
It clarified that the defection rumours did not originate from the governor and noted that the idea was met with “stiff opposition” from APC members in Osun State.
Several APC leaders reportedly criticized Adeleke harshly on social media and national platforms, opposing any move to bring him into the party’s fold.
“Some APC leaders, driven by entrenched interests, have shown hostility and resentment towards Governor Ademola Adeleke. They resorted to social media and national television to call him all sorts of unprintable names,” the communiqué stated.
It further revealed that although some PDP members initially expressed discomfort with the defection speculations, they pledged to stand by Governor Adeleke out of loyalty and respect for his leadership.
Reaffirming the PDP’s stronghold in the state, the communiqué declared that the governor, his administration, and the PDP remain “the most popular and widely accepted political force in Osun State.”
The party leaders justified their endorsement of President Tinubu by acknowledging Osun State as the President’s ancestral home.
“Consequently, the PDP in Osun State recognises the fact that Osun State is the ancestral home of President Bola Tinubu, which makes the President the son of Osun State. Therefore, the PDP in Osun State hereby adopts and endorses President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for re-election in the 2027 presidential election,” the statement read.
In addition, the PDP reaffirmed its support for Governor Adeleke’s re-election bid in the 2026 governorship poll, urging the governor and all party members to remain committed to the PDP.
The communiqué concluded by directing the party leadership to disseminate the resolutions to all party structures across the state while encouraging the governor to continue implementing his administration’s Five-Point Agenda.