Osun State Commissioner for Information, Kolapo Alimi, has explained why Governor Ademola Adeleke waited weeks before publicly confirming his move from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Accord Party.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, Alimi revealed that Adeleke had already completed all paperwork for his defection earlier in November. However, he chose to hold off on a public announcement out of respect for the PDP’s national convention held in Ibadan.
According to the commissioner, the governor didn’t want his defection to be seen as a deliberate attempt to overshadow or destabilise the PDP event.
“He resigned from the PDP on November 4 and joined Accord on November 6,” Alimi said. “But he postponed the official unveiling because the PDP convention was ongoing, and he didn’t want to be accused of disrupting the gathering.”
Alimi also disclosed that Adeleke’s exit from the PDP was triggered by deepening internal conflicts and a leadership crisis he believed posed a threat to his political future.
In his resignation letter to the PDP Ward 2 Chairman in Sagba Abogunde, Ede North, Adeleke cited the persistent leadership dispute at the national level as the main reason for leaving the party under which he was elected governor.
Alimi noted that the governor’s decision to pitch his tent with Accord reflects his commitment to a governance model he believes aligns with the party’s manifesto.
“From what we’ve seen, Accord’s principles align with the good governance Adeleke is delivering,” he said. “Since his official unveiling, people have applauded his decision.”
Despite switching parties, Adeleke remains firmly behind President Bola Tinubu’s second-term ambition. Alimi said the governor’s support for Tinubu predates his defection and is backed by historical ties.
“When you trace Mr President’s roots, they lead back to Osun. He is one of us, and it’s only right we give him our support,” he added.
Adeleke’s defection is the latest in a wave of high-profile exits from the PDP, which has been battling internal fractures and operating under two competing national leaderships. The recent convention in Ibadan held despite conflicting court rulings ended up deepening the crisis rather than resolving it.
Advertisement
