The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has vehemently rejected any possibility of Governor Ademola Adeleke joining its party, describing him as a political liability who would undermine the party’s credibility and integrity.
In a statement signed by the Osun APC Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, and released on Wednesday in Osogbo, the party addressed growing speculation about Governor Adeleke’s alleged defection plans.
The statement was a direct response to a recent communiqué issued by the Osun State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Leadership Caucus, in which Governor Adeleke and 27 other party chieftains lamented what they described as stiff opposition to his planned move to the APC.
Lawal, however, in the APC statement, alleged that it was the fear of the impending 2026 governorship election defeat that motivated Governor Adeleke to desperately seek asylum in the APC.
He said, “We state first of all that the highly informed Osun State public, who are aware that it was the fear of the impending 2026 election defeat that motivated the governor to desperately seek in our party an asylum for his political survival in 2026, are excited about the measured treatment meted to the Osun State governor and his desperate party men.
“It is no longer news that the Osun PDP has become a leprous house deserted by decent politicians with intention to serve the people.
“From 2023, when the party began to morally emaciate and became a war loot of the Adeleke dynasty, bright minds and people with good names to protect, who could not tolerate the deceit, shenanigans, and high-level corruption and brigandage the Adeleke government represents, daily troop out from the tattered umbrella into our party, thus leaving the PDP with carcasses and political dregs with no structure and hope to retain power in future elections.
“Therefore, the self-adulation of the PDP caucus that it remains the most popular party in Osun State is merely self-consolatory, as the claim could not be substantiated with facts.”
While maintaining that a political party is open to all interested parties, the Osun APC chairman noted that Governor Adeleke’s entry is suspected and intended to tarnish the image of the party and create a public perception crisis for it.
He also claimed that Governor Adeleke was running from the wrath of the state’s electorate after mismanaging almost N1 trillion in 30 months and was looking for cover in the APC.
He said, “Those who knew Governor Adeleke is running from the wrath of the Osun State electorate, after mismanaging close to N1 trillion in 30 months of his administration and is only looking for a cover in the APC to escape the people’s anger at the poll in 2026, are the ones who rejected his repugnant overtures and deceptive proposal to join the APC.
“A political party is a free-exit-free-entry arrangement; therefore, everyone is welcome. However, in a situation where an entry is suspected to tarnish the image of the party and create a public perception crisis for it, the party is at will to foreclose such a destructive entry, as was the case in the instance of Adeleke’s attempt to smuggle himself into our party.”
He added Adeleke’s intention for joining the APC was deceptive and was solely because of the troubled re-election bid and therefore rejected.
“Those who rejected the defection of Adeleke to the APC knew the intention was deceptive and was solely because of the troubled re-election bid of the governor, having regard that the same PDP is daily recruiting canvassers and opinion moulders to tarnish the image of President Tinubu on the radio and television in the state, while he is all over Abuja pretending to be a friend of the President,” he added.
The Osun APC chairman also accused Governor Adeleke of criticising President Bola Tinubu.
“You cannot be criticizing, rubbishing, and abusing the national leader of our party, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, at the corners of the state and at the same time be putting up a friendly posture, all in the interest of your desperate re-election bid, which has hit the rock before the election proper.
“A true lover of President Tinubu would not warehouse public resources while citizens languish and suffer economic deprivations.
“A true lover of Tinubu would use the commonwealth of the people, which has increased by over 300 per cent since assumption of office of the current administration, to equip hospitals, provide agricultural and food subsidies, and fund key sectors of the economy to improve the well-being of the citizens,” he concluded
