Osun APC, Governor Adeleke clash over alleged defection plot

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo

The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on Governor Ademola Adeleke to retract what it described as a blatant falsehood—his claim before Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders that he never considered defecting to the APC.

The opposition party in the state questioned why Adeleke allegedly misled PDP leaders, including ex-Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola and other top figures, during a meeting in Osogbo about what the APC described as his “desperate moves” to join the ruling party—moves they say were ultimately unsuccessful.

In a statement signed by the APC’s Director of Media and Information, Chief Kola Olabisi, the party alleged that Adeleke’s defection bid was blocked by the national leadership of the APC after he reportedly demanded an automatic governorship ticket, which was rejected.

The statement partly read: “We wonder why Governor Adeleke failed to reveal to the PDP stakeholders that the condition given to him by the APC leadership at the national level was that he would have to queue up, and that an automatic governorship ticket was off the table.

“If Governor Adeleke is so confident of his popularity, why consider defecting to the APC to contest under its platform? Could the state of disarray within his so-called ruling party have driven his alleged intention to join the APC?”

In response, the Governor’s spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, dismissed the APC’s claims as hallucinations rooted in fear and confusion. He maintained that at no point had Adeleke negotiated or considered defection to the APC.

Rasheed stated: “In over two years of governance, the Governor has not attended any meeting where defection was discussed or considered. Such an idea has never been and will never be on the table.

“We view the APC’s recent claim as a diversionary tactic aimed at masking its internal troubles. The party is reeling from self-inflicted damage, with its own members now exposing internal secrets that reflect a legacy of poor governance, divisive politics, and anti-people policies. We also believe the APC is deeply rattled by the overwhelming support Governor Adeleke has received from workers and citizens across the state.”