Former Deputy Governor of Osun State, Iyiola Omisore, has alleged that the state governor, Ademola Adeleke, is attempting to defect to the All Progressives Congress, APC, due to fears of losing his re-election bid.
Speculations have been rife that Adeleke, who won the 2022 governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is exploring a move to the ruling APC ahead of the upcoming off-cycle governorship election scheduled for August 8, 2026.
Despite consistently denying the defection rumours and pledging allegiance to the PDP, Adeleke’s moves are being closely watched amid ongoing internal crises within his party and a wave of defections.
Speaking during an appearance on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television, Omisore said Adeleke was politically isolated, claiming his popularity in Osun was dwindling.
“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,” he said.
Omisore also addressed the realignment of other political forces in the state, particularly the exit of the Rauf Aregbesola faction to the Action Democratic Congress, ADC.
“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.”
“I’m not aware, but 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.”
Referring to the outcome of the 2022 election, Omisore noted, “What are they bringing to the party? In the 2022 election, APC garnered 375,000 votes, PDP had 403,000 votes, and the difference between them was 3.97 percent.”
“This 3.97 percent includes those that worked against the party, like former governor Aregbesola (ADC), and other leaders of PDP who have all moved to APC now.”
He further argued that the PDP has failed to attract new members since Adeleke assumed office:
“For the past three years, he has been governing that state with no single defection from APC to PDP.”
“Meanwhile, one-seventh of PDP members have moved to APC, which you know, of course — Alhaji Isa Oyedokun, Dayo Babayemi, Hon Wole Oke and others are still coming.”
Omisore questioned why Adeleke would not form or join a new party instead of allegedly lobbying for admission into APC.
“As a governor, you are popular enough to take another party. The governor of Abia has now left the APC for a new party.”
“Why do you want to force yourself on the party? Why is the governor (Adeleke) begging to enter the party?”
“He is struggling, begging and fighting to join APC.”
He dismissed suggestions that Adeleke’s alleged relationship with Dapo Abiodun, governor of Ogun State, would secure him entry into the Osun APC.
“APC is not divided in Osun state. I’m not saying Adeleke cannot join the party.”
“He has the constitutional right to associate with any party, but it is not by going to look for friendship in Ogun or Abuja to join the Osun APC.”
“You cannot be meeting Governor Dapo Abiodun to anchor you into our party.”
Omisore concluded that Adeleke’s suspected defection moves were rooted in his fear of defeat in the upcoming 2026 election.
