According to a report by the Punch on Saturday, July 12, 2025, tensions have gripped both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State amid growing speculation that Governor Ademola Adeleke is on the verge of defecting to the ruling APC.
Findings indicate that several of Adeleke’s close allies, including members of his cabinet, have confirmed that plans for the switch are nearly finalized. Although Governor Adeleke publicly denied the defection rumours through a statement from his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, insider sources suggest otherwise.
Concerns within both parties were reignited in June after Adeleke visited President Bola Tinubu at his Bourdillon residence in Lagos, accompanied by his elder brother, billionaire businessman Adedeji Adeleke, and his nephew, music icon David Adeleke (Davido). Photographs from the visit—shared online by presidential aide Dada Olusegun—showed the Adelekes in a seemingly cordial interaction with President Tinubu and the First Lady, raising political eyebrows across party lines.
While the APC has not officially commented, some of its members staged a protest on Friday, expressing dissatisfaction with the idea of Adeleke joining their ranks. Within the PDP, uncertainty looms as party loyalists grapple with the possible loss of their governor to the opposition.
According to reliable sources, the defection is being driven by political and economic pressures. These include mounting federal-level threats, allegations of withheld local government allocations, and reported concerns about risks to the Adeleke family’s vast business interests.
A commissioner and two special advisers in Adeleke’s administration, who spoke under condition of anonymity, claimed the governor had already informed key members of his cabinet and the Osun State House of Assembly. Although no formal announcement has been made, they revealed that the defection would be strategically delayed.
