Factional PDP Moves to Conduct Osun Governorship Primary Amid Deepening Crisis

Fresh turmoil has erupted within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a faction of the party’s national leadership insists on going ahead with a governorship primary election in Osun State on Tuesday, 2nd December 2025. The development has intensified internal divisions and cast serious doubt on the future of Governor Ademola Adeleke within the party.

The Chairman of the Osun State PDP, Sunday Bisi, announced earlier that Governor Adeleke is no longer interested in seeking the party’s ticket for the 2026 governorship race. According to him, the ongoing leadership dispute in the PDP has created a situation in which the governor cannot properly process or validate his nomination due to the absence of a universally recognized party chairman and secretary.

Despite this, the factional National Organizing Secretary aligned with the bloc loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has insisted that the primary election will go ahead in Osogbo. Observers note that this decision appears to be part of a broader struggle for control of the party’s national structure and its influence in key states.

Commentators familiar with Osun politics have drawn parallels with events ahead of the 2022 election, when power blocs within the PDP allegedly worked against Adeleke’s interests. Some supporters now accuse the so-called “Ibadan Gomina General” and his allies in the party’s factional National Working Committee (NWC) of attempting to undermine the governor once again.

They argue that Adeleke is the only aspirant who purchased the PDP nomination form, raising questions about the legitimacy and purpose of the planned primary. Critics are asking who exactly will contest in the exercise and which faction, if any, has issued a legally valid notice to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Amidst the confusion, reports also suggest that Governor Adeleke has begun distancing himself from the PDP and may be preparing to defect to another political platform, with supporters hinting cryptically that he is “moving ACCORDingly.” However, no official statement confirming his next political destination has been issued.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Abdulrahman, the factional acting National Chairman recognized by the Wike-aligned group, addressed stakeholders in Abuja, declaring that “the PDP will field a candidate in the 2026 Osun governorship election.” His statement reinforces the faction’s determination to proceed despite protests from the state chapter and Adeleke’s loyalists.

Reactions across the political space have been intense. Some party members lament that the PDP has become “scattered,” blaming internal power struggles for weakening its electoral prospects. Others accuse state and national actors of deliberately sabotaging the party. Several commenters also claim that the crisis could push Adeleke out of the party entirely, comparing it to the situation that led to former Lagos governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s exit from the APC after he was denied a return ticket.

There is also a growing belief among stakeholders and analysts that the factional war—driven by rival power blocs across the South-West and North-Central—has effectively crippled the PDP’s ability to present a united front. Some accuse Nyesom Wike of orchestrating instability, while others point fingers at Governor Seyi Makinde, saying both men have contributed to “burying” the party.

For many observers, the biggest unanswered question remains: Why would a party refuse to rally behind an incumbent governor seeking re-election? As the crisis unfolds, Osun residents and PDP supporters nationwide are watching closely to see whether the party can survive the internal battles threatening its future—or whether the 2026 governorship race will mark another chapter in the party’s steady decline.