Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State is reportedly reconsidering his bid for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket in the upcoming 2026 gubernatorial election. This potential withdrawal is directly linked to the unresolved internal crisis plaguing the party's national leadership.
Party Chairman Sounds Alarm on Stalled Process
The Chairman of the PDP in Osun State, Mr Sunday Bisi, raised the alarm during a press briefing held in Osogbo on Monday, December 1, 2025. Bisi stated that the party's unresolved disputes at the national level have completely disrupted preparations for the governorship primary, which was initially scheduled for Tuesday, December 2, 2025.
He confirmed that Governor Adeleke had diligently followed all pre-primary protocols. The governor purchased and submitted his expression of interest and nomination forms within the designated window of October 13 to 25, 2025. Furthermore, Adeleke appeared before the party's screening committee on October 30, where he was cleared without any objections and issued a Certificate of Clearance.
National Crisis Halts Congresses, Sparks Litigation
According to Bisi, the process ground to a halt when the internal crisis within the PDP's national leadership escalated. The suspension and counter-suspension of key national officers created a vacuum of authority. These officers are essential for supervising congresses, conducting primaries, and transmitting the party's final candidate list to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
This turmoil made it impossible to hold the statutory ward and local government congresses scheduled for November 24 and 29, 2025. These congresses were meant to elect the delegates who would vote in the governorship primaries. The disputes have now spilled into the courts, becoming subjects of litigation across Nigeria.
"In the light of the foregoing, it has become inevitable, indeed unavoidable, that the PDP governorship primaries earlier slated for Tuesday, December 2nd, 2025, can no longer hold as scheduled," Bisi declared.
INEC Deadline Looms as Final Decision Point
The future of Governor Adeleke's candidacy now hinges on a swift resolution of the party's leadership crisis. The INEC timetable for the Osun governorship election, scheduled for August 8, 2026, gives all political parties a final deadline of December 15, 2025 to submit their candidates' names.
Bisi revealed that the governor's continued participation is conditional. "The information at my disposal is that Governor Ademola Adeleke may no longer be interested in seeking the nomination of the PDP for the 2026 Osun Gubernatorial Election, except a resolution recognised by INEC is reached within the INEC timeline," he stated.
This ultimatum places immense pressure on the PDP's warring national factions to reconcile promptly. Failure to do so could cost the party its incumbent governor as a flagbearer, significantly altering the political landscape ahead of the 2026 polls in Osun State.
