ADC Criticizes Adeleke and Oyinlola for Backing Tinubu

The political atmosphere in Osun State intensified on Tuesday following a major development: Governor Ademola Adeleke, alongside former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola and top figures within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), publicly declared support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

The endorsement was contained in a communiqué released after a stakeholders’ meeting involving prominent PDP leaders in the state. The gathering also put to rest rumours about Adeleke’s possible defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC), affirming his commitment to remain with the PDP.

This move, however, sparked criticism from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which accused the governor of lacking political consistency and argued that his support for Tinubu wouldn’t shield him from defeat in the upcoming Osun governorship election.

The statement released after the meeting featured attendance by key figures including ex-Governor Oyinlola, Deputy Governor Kola Adewusi, Senator Lere Oyewumi, Osun PDP chairman Sunday Bisi, and former PDP National Secretary Prof. Wale Oladipo, among others.

“The PDP in Osun State acknowledges that President Bola Tinubu hails ancestrally from Osun, and thus sees him as a son of the state,” the communiqué stated. “Accordingly, the PDP in Osun hereby endorses President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for re-election in the 2027 presidential election.”

The stakeholders also threw their weight behind Adeleke’s candidacy for a second term in 2026, urging all members of the party to remain united under the PDP banner.

“The PDP in Osun State reaffirms its endorsement of Governor Ademola Adeleke as the party’s sole candidate for the 2026 governorship election. Party leaders across the state are expected to communicate this resolution at all levels,” the statement added.

Responding to the development, ADC Chairman in Osun State, Charles Omidiji, said Adeleke’s refusal to switch to the APC would not spare him from losing in 2026. He expressed confidence that the ADC would emerge victorious in the next election.

“Not joining the APC may only narrow the margin of his defeat,” Omidiji said. “Had he defected, it would’ve spelled the end for both APC and PDP in Osun. Regardless, the ADC is poised to win the next governorship election.”

The communiqué also addressed why Adeleke chose not to defect to the APC, citing internal opposition within the party.

“Many APC members in Osun strongly opposed Governor Adeleke’s potential defection, a move that wasn’t even initiated by him,” the statement noted. “Some APC figures showed open hostility, using both social media and national platforms to attack him. Similarly, while PDP members weren’t in favor of his defection, many had vowed to follow him out of loyalty, had he chosen that path.”