2026: Defection won’t affect Adeleke’s victory – PDP chair

The Osun State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Sunday Bisi, has declared that the defection of members of the party to the All Progressives Congress will not stop Governor Ademola Adeleke from winning his re-election in 2026.

Bisi described the defections as “a storm in a teacup”, stating that almost every sector of society was in support of Adeleke’s second-term bid.

The chairman’s statement came amid reports that the movement of some PDP members to the APC could jeopardise Adeleke’s chances in 2026.

Over the past month, several members of the PDP, including a current member of the House of Representatives representing Oriade/Obokun Federal Constituency, Wole Oke, have defected to the APC.

A former chieftain of the party, Felix Ogunwale, who represented Osun Central in the Senate between 2003 and 2007, along with some of Oke’s followers, also dumped the PDP.

Amid the defections, the three PDP senators in the National Assembly endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a second term.

These developments have generated concerns among PDP members, while the APC has continued to mock the party.

However, speaking with our correspondent on Wednesday, the PDP chairman said Adeleke enjoyed the support of the majority of the people of the state, expressing confidence that they would vote massively for the governor in 2026.

“The defections are not a serious matter; they are a storm in a teacup. If you talk about defection, you can reference the movement of the Delta State governor and the entire PDP structure in that state to the APC.”

I acknowledge that as a real defection. The defections in Osun cannot affect us in any way,” he said.

“Adeleke is doing well in terms of infrastructure and social programmes for the people of the state. He has been delivering good governance, and people will appreciate him for that by re-electing him in 2026.