In a dramatic twist to the political crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a faction of the party has proceeded with its governorship primary election in Osun State. This move comes just hours after the state's governor, Ademola Adeleke, officially resigned from the party.
Primary Proceeds Despite Cancellation and Resignation
On the morning of Tuesday, December 2, 2025, party delegates and officials gathered at the Atlantis Multipurpose Hall on Ring Road, Osogbo. The primary, aimed at selecting the party's flagbearer for the August 8, 2026 gubernatorial election, is ongoing under tight security. This development directly contradicts the announcement made a day earlier by the party's state chairman, Sunday Bisi, who declared the primary would not hold as scheduled.
The situation was further complicated by the online emergence of a resignation letter signed by Governor Adeleke. Dated November 4, 2025, the letter cited the protracted national leadership crisis within the PDP as his reason for quitting. Adeleke was widely reported to be the sole aspirant who had obtained a nomination form for the party's ticket.
A Clash of Directives Deepens Party Crisis
The root of the confusion lies in a power struggle at the national level. Chairman Bisi had explained on Monday that the suspension and counter-suspension of key national officers had thrown the electoral process into disarray. These officers play statutory roles in conducting primaries and transmitting candidates' names to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Bisi suggested that Governor Adeleke might not seek the party's ticket unless an INEC-recognised resolution was reached within the stipulated timeline. However, the factional national leadership, through the National Organising Secretary Theophilus Shan, insisted the primary would go ahead. In a letter dated December 1, 2025, Shan reminded stakeholders that the exercise would proceed as originally planned for December 2, 2025.
The letter referenced earlier notices and the successful completion of delegate congresses on November 24 and 29, 2025. It also warned cleared candidates to behave in accordance with the party's constitution and the interest of law and order, stating that indiscipline would be severely punished.
Implications for the 2026 Osun Gubernatorial Race
The holding of this factional primary sets the stage for a major legal and political battle. The exercise is expected to produce a governorship candidate, but the legitimacy of that candidate will be heavily contested. With the sitting governor exiting the party and the state chapter leadership disavowing the process, the PDP in Osun State faces a profound schism.
This internal conflict threatens to significantly weaken the party's chances in the crucial 2026 election. The focus now shifts to INEC, which will have to determine which faction and candidate, if any, it recognizes as the legitimate standard-bearer for the PDP in Osun State.
