Adeleke defends defection, says Osun voters will back him based on performance in 2026
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke has downplayed criticisms surrounding his departure from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Adeleke insisted that his decision to join the Accord Party was driven by the deepening internal crisis within his former party and the need to safeguard his administration’s progress ahead of the 2026 governorship election.
Appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, the governor, now officially the Accord Party’s candidate for the August 2026 poll, said that while he still holds strong affection for the PDP, persistent infighting made it impossible for him to remain.
He further explained that he had made repeated efforts to reconcile warring factions within the PDP but found the rifts widening instead of healing.
“I truly love the PDP. But the internal crises kept getting worse. I tried everything I could to bring people together, yet each day, things seemed to fall apart further.
”At some point, I had to decide how to protect myself, my administration and the state, ” he said.
The governor also revealed that he quietly joined the Accord Party on November 6, 2025, after extensive consultations with political stakeholders.
His public announcement earlier this week, he added, merely formalised a move that had already been sealed.
Within 24 hours of making the switch public, the Accord Party cleared him as its sole governorship candidate for 2026, with the party’s screening panel affirming that he met all requirements for nomination.
Adeleke expressed confidence that the people of Osun State would vote based on candidates’ track records rather than party affiliation.
He maintained that his achievements in office including stabilising state finances, addressing salary arrears and pushing development projects would stand him in good stead.
“Osun people are wiser now. They judge based on what you’ve delivered, not just the colour of your party flag.
”In the last three years, we have achieved results that people can see and feel. That is what the electorate will consider, ” he said.
He argued that candidates’ credibility and performance would overshadow political structures in next year’s election.
Responding to concerns that the ruling party at the national level could influence the election, Adeleke dismissed such fears, saying he won in 2022 despite being in the opposition and could do so again.
“I believe the President is a democrat. He, too, has been in the opposition and still triumphed.
I did it in 2022 and nothing will change in 2026. The people will decide, and once they do, nobody can overturn their choice, ” added.
Adeleke’s move to the Accord Party has reshaped Osun’s political landscape, intensifying competition among major contenders including the All Progressives Congress (APC), the PDP now battling internal fractures and a coalition aligned with the African Democratic Party (ADC).
Despite the turbulence surrounding his defection, the governor remains confident that continuity—and what he calls his administration’s “path of light”—will win him a renewed mandate.
