By A fresh disagreement has erupted between the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its Osun State chapter over the conduct of the party’s governorship primary election slated for today.
The dispute stems from the lingering internal crisis within the PDP, which has produced factional camps and multiple lawsuits following the party’s recent national convention.
National Leadership Insists Primaries Will Hold
The PDP’s National Organising Secretary, Hon. Theophilus Dakas Shan, reaffirmed that the primaries would proceed as scheduled. He said the exercise followed an earlier notification sent to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on October 28, 2025.
Shan cautioned aspirants to conduct themselves according to the party’s constitution.
“The candidates cleared for the primaries are advised to behave in accordance with the provisions of our party’s constitution and in the interest of law and order, as any act of indiscipline will be severely punished,” he said.
In a statement, Shan added that the Electoral Committee for the primaries had been duly constituted and would supervise the exercise at Atlantis Multipurpose Hall, Ring Road, Osogbo, at 10 a.m. today.
Osun PDP: Primaries Cannot Hold Amid Crisis
Contrary to the national position, the Osun State chapter of the PDP announced that the governorship primary would no longer hold due to unresolved leadership issues within the party.
Speaking to journalists at the party secretariat in Osogbo on Monday, Osun PDP Chairman, Mr. Sunday Bisi, explained that although Governor Ademola Adeleke remains the sole aspirant, the ongoing crisis has made the cancellation of the primaries unavoidable.
According to Bisi, the party was unable to conduct the statutory ward and local government congresses required to elect delegates for the primaries, scheduled for November 24 and 29.
“These are the very congresses where delegates to the primaries are elected,” he said.
Bisi stressed that INEC’s timetable for political parties mandates either valid congresses or a resolution endorsed by the Commission for a candidate to be formally nominated.
He added that the internal crisis at the national level has cast uncertainty over Governor Adeleke’s participation.
“The information at my disposal is that Governor Ademola Adeleke may no longer be interested in seeking the PDP nomination for the 2026 Osun governorship election, except a resolution recognized by INEC is reached within the set timeline,” he said.
The Osun chairman maintained that the state chapter has a responsibility to keep party members and the public informed, especially as the national leadership crisis continues to stall key processes.
Conflicting Signals Persist
While the national leadership insists the primary will go on, the Osun chapter maintains that the required congresses were not held and that the exercise cannot validly take place.
As both sides dig in, uncertainty surrounds the PDP’s path to producing a governorship candidate for the 2026 Osun election.
