The Peoples Democratic Party’s Deputy National Vice Chairman (Southwest), Mr. Kamorudeen Ajisafe, has said Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State is in search of a political platform to contest the 2026 governorship election.
Ajisafe, who spoke on a private radio programme, ‘Frank Talk’, monitored on Monday, said the internal crisis rocking the PDP had made it impossible for the party to present a candidate for next year’s poll.
He recalled that the party suffered a similar setback in Ekiti State due to what he described as Senator Samuel Anyanwu’s rebellion, adding that the development now leaves Governor Adeleke with the task of finding a viable platform to protect his re-election bid.
His words, “Let me tell you that if anything happens in Osun, it has to do with looking for a platform to contest, I am telling you. Where is the platform to contest now? If you are a very good party man will you be happy loosing someone like Taraba State Governor? Osun state, like you rightly said he is planning, I dont know about planning, I am sensitive for the need for a political platform to contest.
“The problem we have in Osun is quite different from what we have in Taraba. Election in Taraba and some other states is 2027, our own in Osun is 2026, the primary for any political party trying to present a candidate for the 2026 gubernatorial election is December 15.
“That is the position of INEC, what do we do, how are we going to manage that? After December 15, INEC by the constitution, will not recognise any emergence of candidate from any political primary again.”
“If you are a consultant what would you advice, will you advise that I stay in a party, where I would not be able to exercise my right of returning to office, just advice me what you want Adeleke to do now, he has not told the world but ask.
“It is absolutely known to the whole world that there is no way that the PDP would be able to nominate a candidate for the 2026 governorship election. If you block your road or gate for me to enter and the occupant of another platform magnanimously allows me to pass freely, would I be crying that you lock your gate? What do you expect somebody like Adeleke should do, I am talking frankly on the radio that people can hear me, that is the fight we have with Wike and Anyawu”.
Meanwhile, political signals from Osun indicate that Adeleke may be preparing to defect to either the Accord Party or the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) ahead of the August 8 governorship election.
Sources within the PDP told Vanguard that the governor had already opened discussions with Accord Party leaders on the terms of his possible entry, while others revealed that he was still weighing his options to avoid miscalculations as the primary deadline approaches.