Osun State PDP Leadership Dispute Deepens Ahead of Governorship Election
A deepening internal dispute within the Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has spilled into the public domain, creating confusion over the party’s structure and its stance on the forthcoming August governorship election.
At the centre of the crisis is the status of state chairman, Sunday Bisi, who has publicly rejected reports of his removal from office. Bisi described the decision of a stakeholders’ forum that announced his ouster as unconstitutional and void. Addressing journalists in Osogbo, he asserted his continued legitimacy, stating, “I remain the duly elected chairman of the party in the state.” He argued that only properly constituted party organs, acting within its constitutional framework, have the authority to affect elected officials.
Bisi disclosed that the Osun PDP has not presented a candidate for the governorship poll and has instead endorsed incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke for re-election. He noted that while tensions exist, most elected officials in the state, excluding the governor and deputy governor, remain PDP members. He also criticised remarks by former governor Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, calling them inconsistent with the mainstream party position and part of a failed 2022 plot to block Adeleke.
Bisi explained that national divisions within the PDP threatened Governor Adeleke’s political future, leading to the strategic decision to seek an alternative platform. He claimed Prince Oyinlola had initially suggested this course of action. Insisting the core party leadership remains aligned with the state executive, Bisi stated, “The mainstream of Osun PDP stands by the governor… which cannot be truncated by any unelected, illegal and unauthorised group.”
Meanwhile, Prince Oyinlola convened a separate stakeholders’ meeting to address what he called “confusing narratives.” He maintained that the PDP remains a viable political force in Osun State despite Governor Adeleke’s defection to the Accord Party. Oyinlola dismissed claims that the PDP structure had been collapsed into Accord for Adeleke’s benefit, saying, “PDP is a party that has its tentacles in all the nooks and crannies of this country.” He affirmed the party’s resilience, adding, “We are holding on to PDP. If tomorrow, our governor decides to come back… he is most welcome.”
The public clash between two prominent figures highlights significant uncertainty within one of Nigeria’s major parties in a key state. With the election approaching, the dispute raises questions about the PDP’s official organisational capacity in Osun and the long-term implications of Governor Adeleke’s alliance with the Accord Party. The lack of a unified front from the state chapter could impact voter mobilisation and the party’s ability to project influence beyond its endorsement of the incumbent.
