Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke and leaders of Nigeria’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have officially pledged support for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, dispelling rumors of a potential defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The unexpected endorsement, announced during a Monday stakeholders’ meeting in Osogbo, underscores shifting political alliances in the southwestern state.
The resolution, formalized in a communiqué signed by Governor Adeleke, Deputy Governor Kola Adewusi, and 26 other senior PDP figures, cited Tinubu’s ancestral ties to Osun State as a key factor. “Osun is President Tinubu’s ancestral home, making him our son,” the document stated, while reaffirming the PDP’s backing for Adeleke’s own 2026 gubernatorial re-election campaign. The announcement follows weeks of speculation about Adeleke’s rumored switch to the APC, which the communiqué claimed originated outside his office and faced “strong resistance” from Osun APC members.
Notably, the document revealed internal tensions: PDP members reportedly expressed discomfort with the defection rumors but agreed to follow Adeleke “out of loyalty.” Meanwhile, APC leaders in Osun were said to have publicly criticized the governor, with some resorting to “unprintable names” on social media and national television. The PDP framed the endorsement as strategic, emphasizing grassroots influence and asserting its dominance in state politics. “We remain the most popular political force in Osun,” the communiqué declared, directing party structures to disseminate the resolution statewide.
The development marks a rare instance of a major opposition party branch endorsing a sitting president from a rival party ahead of elections. Analysts suggest the move could signal pragmatic alignment in Tinubu’s home region while allowing Adeleke to consolidate local support. The governor was urged to focus on implementing his administration’s “Five Point Agenda,” a development plan addressing infrastructure, education, and healthcare.
As Nigeria’s political landscape evolves ahead of 2027, the Osun PDP’s dual endorsement—supporting a national APC figure while maintaining its state-level stronghold—highlights the complex interplay of regional loyalty and party allegiance in Nigerian politics. The coming months will test whether this cross-party backing strengthens Tinubu’s national coalition or deepens intra-party divisions within both the PDP and APC.
