From Lateeef Dada, Osogbo
In the intricate dance of Nigerian politics, few figures have found themselves at such a tumultuous crossroads as Governor Ademola Adeleke. The Yoruba proverb, “Awonu ni Ekun nwo eye oke, asa wo igbin koro, o sebi ohun le gbee (meaning, the leopard looks longingly at the snail)” aptly describes Adeleke’s recent political manoeuvres.
His aspirations to secure a second term ticket, particularly on the platform of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, has become a saga of ambition, miscalculation, and shifting alliances.
Last year, whispers emerged that Adeleke had made a bold move to the APC, seeking an automatic ticket for the 2026 governorship election. At the time, most people around him denied the move. His spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, also issued a statement denying the move. But in the midst of the denials, the governor, who believed that his connections could effortlessly translate into political capital, carried on with what pundits described as his “negotiations.”
By mid this year however, the reality was starkly different, as the APC leaders in the state vehemently kicked against his defection. Not withstanding the opposition, the governor was said to have persisted. After several failed attempts to negotiate with the APC, Governor Adeleke found himself returning to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), where he initially rose to power.
The turning point came when reports surfaced of Adeleke’s alleged trip to Ghana to meet President Bola Tinubu, coinciding with the latter’s attendance of the swearing-in of Ghana’s new President. The state government denied these claims, yet former Commissioner for Information in Osun State, Sunday Akere, an APC chieftain, maintained that Adeleke had made multiple attempts to engage with the president, only to be met with a firm refusal regarding the coveted ticket.
Adeleke’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, again vehemently dismissed this rumour as “fake news,” labelling them as the product of an opposition in “disarray, struggling to identify a credible candidate for the upcoming elections.” His denial, however, did little to quell the speculation surrounding his principal’s political manoeuvres.
Complicating matters further, Adeleke’s visit to APC stalwart, Chief Bisi Akande sparked accusations of him seeking a clandestine arrangement within the opposition party in Osun State. The situation escalated when music sensation, David Adeleke (Davido) was rumoured to have brokered a meeting between his uncle and President Tinubu. And not too long after that, Deji Adeleke, the governor’s brother, the governor and Davido eventually met with President Tinubu in Lagos. The meeting, intensified fears within the APC that Adeleke might indeed secure an automatic ticket for next year’s governorship contest.
As political tensions mounted, PDP leaders publicly expressed their readiness to follow Adeleke, regardless of his party affiliation, thus confirming what the governor’s spokesman had all along referred to as rumours, as real.
A recent communiqué from Governor Adeleke and 27 PDP leaders however revealed that indeed, there were defection plans, which have now been thwarted by political bigwigs within the APC, a development that appears to have forced the governor to remain in his party.
“Following extensive consultations, debates, surveys, opinion sampling from traditional rulers, community leaders, civil servants, retirees, religious leaders, market men and women, interactions with members of the PDP and the general public across major towns and villages in Osun State, on issues pertaining to recent political developments in the state, the Leadership Caucus of Osun PDP hereby reviewed as follows: That all politics is local, and as such, the feelings and aspirations of voters and party members are critical to decisions on party affiliations; that the majority of the members of the APC in Osun State are opposed to the idea of the defection of Governor Adeleke to the APC, which did not originate from the governor in the first instance. Some APC leaders based on entrenched interests have demonstrated hostility and resentment towards Governor Ademola Adeleke. Some went on social media and national television to call Governor Adeleke all kinds of unprintable names and that the majority of PDP members in Osun State are not happy about the idea of the defection of Governor Adeleke to APC, but only reluctantly agreed to follow Governor Adeleke to wherever he goes to show their love, support and loyalty to his leadership.
“Consequently, the leaders hereby resolve as follows: That the PDP in Osun State recognises the fact that Osun State is the ancestral home of President Bola Ahmed 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; that PDP in Osun State reaffirms its adoption and endorsement of Governor Ademola Adeleke for re-election in the 2026 governorship election on the platform of the PDP; that Governor Ademola Adeleke and all members of the PDP in Osun State should remain in the PDP, “ the PDP leaders said.
Daily Sun however gathered that the decision to remain with the PDP came amidst a backdrop of significant defections from the party to the APC. As at the last count, the party has lost three strong members of the House of Representatives and two out of the three senators to the APC in Osun.
In a striking revelation, Adeleke’s sister, Yeye Dupe Adeleke-Sanni, informed party members that automatic tickets would no longer be available, thereby, adding another layer of complexity to the unfolding drama.
As political loyalties shift and ambitions collide, Adeleke’s journey, observers say, serves as a vivid illustration of the unpredictable landscape of Nigerian politics, where aspirations can quickly transform into a struggle for survival.
Weighing in on the political development, a human rights activist, Prof. Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli, who is the Executive Director of The Osun Masterminds, observed that the political activities have taken over governance, warning that such is dangerous for the state.
He said, ”We have watched with disappointment how governance in Osun State has now been abandoned for politicking. Government functionaries that should be preoccupied with the discharge of government responsibilities are spending all of their time on politics, leaving the people of the state to suffer.
“While 2026 is indeed the governorship election year, governance must progress smoothly until the last day of this administration, whether it wins a second term or not. “It is unacceptable to sacrifice governance on the altar of political expediency, and we call on all government actors to prioritise the public service for which they are paid salaries and other emoluments,” Alli stated.
The State Chairman of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Comrade Emmanuel A. Olowu, on his part, expressed concern over what he termed as “desperation and uncertainty” surrounding the re-election bid of Governor Adeleke, describing his move to defect to the APC as a political miscalculation.
Olowu said, “This failed defection is not just a political blunder; it is a public revelation of weakness and a lack of strategic confidence from a sitting governor. For a leader whose administration has enjoyed some degree of public goodwill due to various infrastructural development initiatives, this move sends a contradictory signal to the citizens. It shows that despite the accolades and support his government may claim to have, he is unsure of his political future and lacks the firmness expected of a truly beloved and visionary leader.
“More significantly, the refusal of the Osun APC to accept Governor Adeleke into their fold demonstrates a readiness by the APC to contest and possibly reclaim the governorship seat with renewed strength and internal unity.
“The most concern is the provocative and uncivil statement made by Mallam Olawale Rasheed, the spokesperson to Governor Adeleke, who referred to the National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress and former Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, as ‘a shrew, who is smelling but does not know he is smelling.’ Such reckless and derogatory comments reflect the disdainful political culture that has taken root within the current administration, a culture that tolerates disrespect rather than diplomacy and insults rather than engagement.
“Governor Adeleke’s political missteps, from failed party defection to the APC to public insults directed at elder statesmen of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), mark a strong indicator that the chances of Governor Adeleke at the 2026 gubernatorial polls have been endangered.
“Unless he realigns politically and morally with forces like the ADC, whose grassroots relevance remains potent, the likelihood of his defeat is no longer a matter of speculation but a growing political reality. I urge Governor Adeleke to retrace his steps, rebuild lost political bridges, and restore public trust, or else he should be prepared to bow out in 2026,” Olowu said.
Political pundits posit that with the APC’s rejection of the Adeleke’s defection, and the possibility of the alignment with ADC not working, due to the attack on the national secretary of the party and former governor of the state, Aregbesola, by the governor’s spokesperson, the governor’s re-election bid hangs in a balance, especially since the PDP is in disarray from bottom to top, coupled with the defection of some foundation members in the state to the APC.
As the 2026 governorship election in Osun State looms on the horizon, one question remains: will Governor Adeleke emerge from this political quagmire stronger than before, or will he become another casualty in the relentless pursuit of power? Only time will tell.
