Osun: Opposition storm builds forward of primaries as Adeleke wavers on platform

Because the December 15 deadline set by the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee for the submission of governorship candidates within the Osun election approaches, the political panorama has heated up, with main events battling inside fractures and Governor Ademola Adeleke nonetheless undecided on the platform for his re-election bid, writes BOLA BAMIGBOLA

With the December 15, 2025, deadline set by the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee for political events to conclude primaries and submit their candidates for the Osun governorship election drawing close to, tensions within the state have intensified.

Main political events anticipated to discipline candidates within the election have been grappling with numerous crises lower than a month to the deadline. The All Progressives Congress is split amongst aspirants, whereas the Peoples Democratic Party continues to face inside turmoil, with incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke but to resolve on the platform for his re-election bid. Even the African Democratic Congress, which seems calm, is dealing with mounting stress forward of its major.

Instantly after INEC launched the timetable for the August 8, 2026, governorship election, social gathering actions intensified. Aspirants started lobbying on the grassroots stage as they declared their intention to contest for his or her respective social gathering tickets.

In Osun PDP, the state of affairs has been utterly totally different. The crises ravaging the nationwide management of the social gathering have forged an enormous shadow on preparations for the ballot, making consideration of one other political platform a attainable choice for the governor.

Earlier within the yr, regardless of fixed public assurances by Adeleke that he would stay within the PDP and contest, his political strikes prompt plans to affix the APC.

Sensing hazard for the PDP, and regardless of the social gathering additionally getting ready for the 2027 normal election towards incumbent President Bola Tinubu, Adeleke, with senators elected on the PDP platform in Osun and the state social gathering construction, introduced their assist for the President within the 2027 election.

After contemplating the governor’s repeated overtures to the APC on the nationwide stage, which had been seen as inimical to its plans, the opposition social gathering constructions in Osun brazenly opposed Adeleke’s defection. Following a number of unsuccessful makes an attempt, Adeleke and the very best PDP management caucus within the state resigned to destiny and thereafter introduced that Adeleke wouldn’t dump the PDP. Nevertheless, regardless of the resolve to stay within the social gathering, the battle for its management, which has divided the social gathering into factions aligned with Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde and Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, is clouding Adeleke’s probabilities of contesting on the PDP platform.

Since failing to affix the APC, practically a dozen different events have been prompt as potential platforms for the governor’s re-election bid. One of many events touted is the ADC, the place former Governor Rauf Aregbesola at present serves as Nationwide Secretary.

Osun APC management, which taunted Adeleke over the alleged transfer, queried why a celebration led by Aregbesola can be an possibility for Adeleke. However in a swift response, Olawale Rasheed, the spokesperson to the Osun Governor, dismissed the insinuations.

Olawale, who rejected the thought of his principal becoming a member of the ADC, mentioned in an announcement, “Our consideration has been drawn to an announcement credited to the Osun State APC chairman that Governor Ademola Adeleke is negotiating with former Governor Rauf Aregbesola about becoming a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The report is fake, and the assertions by the opposition are mere fabrication and faux information. Governor Adeleke isn’t negotiating with former Governor Aregbesola about ADC, and the governor isn’t becoming a member of ADC. The members of the general public are hereby implored to disregard the pretend information.”

However Olawale’s rebuttal, dependable social gathering sources mentioned the ADC was really thought of by Adeleke and his crew. “The concept couldn’t, nonetheless, fly as a result of the leaders of the social gathering insisted that it will choose to have a candidate from the pool of these supporting Aregbesola, all of the whereas,” a celebration supply with data of the event informed The PidomNigeria.

Adeleke’s crew additionally reportedly thought of the seeming chilly warfare between the Osun ADC executives led by the state chairman, Charles Omidiji, who’s believed to be loyal to former lawmaker representing Osun Central within the Senate, Senator Kola Ogunwale, and the Omoluabi Progressives, a political caucus led by Aregbesola.

With the thought of the ADC not thought of, the All Progressives Grand Alliance was reportedly listed as another choice for the governor. A number of social gathering sources additionally mentioned Accord could also be one other seemingly platform for Adeleke to hunt re-election.

Hinting that the seek for a brand new platform might not have ended, the PDP Nationwide Vice Chairman, South-West, Mr Kamoru Ajisafe, whereas that includes on a radio programme aired by Rave FM, Osogbo, final week, mentioned the seek for a celebration on which Adeleke would search re-election was ongoing.

He mentioned, “The issue we’ve in Osun is kind of totally different from what we’ve in Taraba. Elections in Taraba and another states are in 2027; our personal in Osun is in 2026.

“The first for any political social gathering attempting to current a candidate for the 2026 governorship election is December 15. That’s the place of INEC. What can we do? How are we going to handle that?

“After December 15, INEC, by the structure, is not going to recognise the emergence of a candidate from any political major once more. In case you are a advisor, what would you advise? Will you advise that I keep at a celebration the place I’d not be capable of train my proper to return to the workplace? Simply advise me what you need Adeleke to do now.

“It’s identified to the entire world that there isn’t any approach that the PDP would be capable of nominate a candidate for the 2026 governorship election. In case you block your highway or gate for me to enter, and the occupant of one other platform magnanimously permits me to go freely, would I be crying that you simply locked your gate? What do you anticipate any person like Adeleke to do? I’m speaking frankly on the radio. That’s the battle we’ve with Wike and Anyanwu.”

A former governor of Osun State, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, additionally mentioned the choice on which political platform Adeleke will undertake for his 2026 re-election shall be taken instantly after the governor returns from his international journey.

Whereas responding to hypothesis about events rumoured as Adeleke’s seemingly vacation spot, Oyinlola hinted that Accord is a good possibility. He, nonetheless, mentioned defecting with Adeleke to a different social gathering would rely on which social gathering he’s becoming a member of, as he mentioned he might not transfer with the governor if the choice doesn’t align along with his political opinions.

Talking on the programme, Oro Oselu, aired by Osogbo-based Rave FM on Monday, Oyinlola mentioned he wouldn’t have moved to the All Progressives Congress had Adeleke joined the social gathering as beforehand deliberate. “When the governor comes again from his journey this week, we’ll sit down and resolve the place we’re going, and we’ll let the Osun folks know our alternative,” he mentioned.

Adeleke’s delay technique

Weighing in on the uncertainty surrounding the platform on which Adeleke will search re-election, the Osun PDP Director of Media, Oladele Bamiji, mentioned the political platform can be made identified in the end.

“We’re within the PDP at present, and Governor Adeleke might search re-election on the platform of the social gathering. He has been screened by the social gathering, and different processes have been noticed. It could be elsewhere.

“The plan of these afraid of our governor is to not enable him to get on the poll as a result of they know they can not cease him in a free and honest ballot. However I wish to guarantee them that Adeleke will search re-election and shall be re-elected.

Not saying something on the matter for now could be a method. We wish to preserve our adversaries guessing,” Bamiji mentioned.

Oyetola’s males, Omisore in race for APC ticket

In Osun APC, the frenzied environment pervading the social gathering, largely because of the curiosity proven by as many as 13 aspirants vying for its ticket, seems to be rising tense.

With the feelers coming from the social gathering, two main blocs now exist. The core construction of the social gathering, working alongside nearly all appointees and elected officers in workplace through the tenure of former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, is alleged to be queueing behind the quick previous Managing Director of the Nationwide Inland Waterways Authority, Mr Bola Oyebamiji.

Distinguished amongst Oyetola’s males main the cost for Oyebamiji, who at present holds the file because the longest-serving Osun Commissioner for Finance, are the Government Director (Mission Implementation) of the Federal Housing Authority, Mr Remi Omowaiye, former state lawmaker, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, and former Commissioner for Native Authorities and Chieftaincy, Mr Bayo Adeleke.

Nevertheless, some authorities officers who served with Oyetola, together with former Osun State Common Primary Training Board Chairman, Ajibola Famurewa and former Particular Adviser on Public Well being, Dr Siji Olamiju, are backing former Deputy Governor, Senator Iyiola Omisore, for the APC ticket.

Within the build-up to the December 13 major, the place the APC candidate will emerge, there have been allegations and counter-allegations between the 2 main blocs.

For example, former Particular Adviser to the Osun Governor on Training, Mr Jamiu Olawumi, in a put up shared on his Fb web page, alleged kidnapping of the APC State Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, in Abuja by unidentified individuals to forcefully receive paperwork containing the delegate record for the first.

Earlier than the mud settled on the allegation, a petition surfaced on social media, demanding a probe of Omisore’s tenure because the Nationwide Secretary of the APC.

The petition, addressed to the Osun APC Elder Caucus, was signed by 5 people on behalf of a gaggle referred to as AMBO Marketing campaign Organisation.

Adebayo Adedeji, the media coordinator for the marketing campaign group of Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, distanced the governorship aspirant from the doc, saying the organisation didn’t writer any petition towards Omisore.

He said, “The AMBO Media Fronts have dissociated the AMBO Motion and its principal, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, from a publication at present circulating and purportedly searching for the disqualification of Senator Christopher Iyiola Omisore, a governorship aspirant in our social gathering, for the 2026 gubernatorial election.

“First, there may be nothing like an ‘AMBO Marketing campaign Organisation’ as said within the publication. It’s correctly known as the AMBO Motion. Solely after the social gathering selects its flag bearer, consistent with INEC pointers, will a marketing campaign organisation be constituted.

“The publication is the handiwork of fifth columnists geared toward inflicting division and unhealthy blood throughout the Osun APC and weakening our collective resolve to finish the administration at present mismanaging the state.”

APC avoiding post-primary crises

In a bid to de-escalate pressure within the social gathering and cut back the potential of post-primary crises, the APC Elder Caucus has been working towards a consensus association.

The caucus, in a latest communiqué signed by its Chairman, Mr Sola Akinwumi, urged the governorship aspirants to chorus from acquiring expression of curiosity kinds but.

Sources near the group mentioned lowering the variety of aspirants contesting the first would improve social gathering cohesion, cut back pressure, and permit it to strategy the primary ballot with a united entrance.

However earlier than the directive, Omisore had already obtained the shape, changing into the primary aspirant to take action.

Not discouraged by the event, the caucus mentioned in its communiqué, “The physique acquired the report of its advert hoc committee on the 2026 Osun governorship election in the present day, the 14th of November 2025, and resolved as follows:

“The physique put a screening committee in place and charged the committee to expeditiously display screen all governorship aspirants for the 2026 election inside a timeframe.

“All of the aspirants had been urged to train endurance in acquiring the prescribed kinds by the social gathering till the screening committee submits its report. All social gathering stakeholders are enjoined to stay steadfast.”

APC cautions aspirants

To douse rising pressure, the APC management within the state implored its members to be cautious of the motives of “fifth columnists who’re bent on inflicting disharmony, disaffection, disunity, and crises amongst governorship aspirants” by “sponsoring, selling, and publishing falsehoods about them with non-existent entities as signatories to the fabrications.”

Lawal, the Osun APC Chairman, within the assertion issued after the petition towards Omisore grew to become public, mentioned aspirants and their supporters ought to chorus from exposing social gathering leaders to campaigns of calumny.

ADC character conflict

Within the ADC, the state of affairs might look calm to outsiders, however the social gathering can also be experiencing stress within the build-up to its major.

The primary indication of disagreement surfaced lately. The Omoluabi Progressives introduced that the ADC would look to the West Senatorial District to select its candidate for the Osun ballot. However a pacesetter of the social gathering within the state, Senator Ogunwale, dismissed that place, insisting the ADC candidate may come from any a part of the state.

Former Secretary to the State Authorities, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, and Senator Adelere Oriolowo, each from Iwo, are believed to be eyeing the ADC governorship ticket.

It was additionally mentioned that former Speaker of the Home of Meeting, Dr Najeem Salaam, is being thought of for the ticket. It isn’t clear if Ogunwale will assist any of Aregbesola’s associates or current his personal most well-liked aspirant forward of the ADC major.

Reacting to questions on perceived pressure within the social gathering, the ADC Director of Media and Publicity and Publicity Secretary of the Omoluabi Progressives, Oluwaseun Abosede, mentioned the social gathering stays a carefully knit group having fun with cordial relationships amongst its personalities.

He mentioned, “Because it stands in Osun ADC in the present day, there isn’t any subject of disagreement between anybody. The seeming points between Senator Kola Ogunwale and a few folks within the ADC have lengthy been resolved. The great thing about democracy is in welcoming sturdy, diverging submissions, that are wholesome for the social gathering’s development. Nothing has been mentioned or finished that’s threatening.

“Apart from, when the Nationwide Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, got here to city to kick-start the ADC federal constituency tour in Ila-Orangun on Tuesday, November 18, you all noticed what occurred. Senator Kola Ogunwale was there, the Osun ADC chairman was there, Alhaji Issa Adesiji Azeez was there, in addition to all different leaders of our tendency.

“We now have no subject in any respect; the method of choosing our governorship candidate goes easily in line with our calendar.”