APC leaders resist Governor Adeleke’s defection move to party

APC leaders resist Governor Adeleke’s defection move to party

The much-talked-about defection of Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, to the All Progressives Congress (APC) may have suffered a major setback as negotiations appear deadlocked.

Insiders revealed the governor has been in talks with APC bigwigs to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), especially after two Osun senators Francis Fadahunsi and Olubiyi Fadeyi recently defected to the ruling party. Many believed the senators were advance men for Adeleke.

But the Osun APC camp is not smiling. A party chieftain, Remi Omowaiye, warned that the governor cannot sneak into APC through the back door.

“For me, the governor’s rumoured defection remains social media gist,” Omowaiye said. “If he wants to join APC, he must follow due process. He hasn’t reached out to Oyetola, who remains our leader in Osun.

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“Our concern is that he comes with baggage—he sacked teachers without replacements, sacked health workers without replacements, and is building sub-standard roads and bridges. What do we tell the people when he comes with that baggage?”

However, a PDP insider claimed Adeleke’s camp is pushing hard for an automatic APC ticket, promising to deliver Osun for President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

But another source at APC national secretariat said Adeleke’s talks hit a brick wall in Abuja too.

“The senators acted on their own. Adeleke’s defection is not sealed. For now, only the President and Oyetola can decide his fate,” the source said.

With the stalemate, Adeleke may have no choice but to stay put in PDP for the 2026 governorship election—unless the APC leadership softens its stance.

APC leaders resist Governor Adeleke’s defection move to party