The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has officially endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for re-election in the 2027 presidential election, despite the President being a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
This move comes even as the party reaffirmed its support for Governor Ademola Adeleke to contest the 2026 governorship election on the PDP platform.
This double endorsement was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a crucial leadership caucus meeting of the Osun PDP, held at the Government House, Osogbo, on Monday, July 21, 2025.
The communiqué, signed by Governor Adeleke alongside prominent leaders of the Osun PDP, follows what it described as “extensive consultations, debates, surveys and opinion sampling” across the state involving traditional rulers, civil servants, religious leaders, market traders, PDP members and the general public.
According to the communiqué, the Osun PDP justified its endorsement of President Tinubu by citing his ancestral links to the state, describing him as a “son of the soil.”
“Osun State is the ancestral home of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which makes the President the son of Osun State. Therefore, the PDP in Osun State hereby adopts and endorses President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for re-election in the 2027 presidential election,” the document read.
Despite previous speculations of a possible defection to the APC, the communiqué clarified that Governor Adeleke will remain in the PDP and contest for re-election under its platform.
It noted that both the governor and the PDP remain “very popular and acceptable above all other political parties in Osun State.”
While acknowledging that many PDP members were uncomfortable with the idea of Adeleke moving to the APC, the party praised their loyalty and emphasized that the defection rumors did not originate from Adeleke himself.
The communiqué also alleged that several APC leaders in the state were hostile to the notion of Adeleke joining the ruling party, with some allegedly attacking him on social media and national television.
“The majority of the members of the APC in Osun State are opposed to the idea of the defection of Governor Adeleke to the APC. Some APC leaders based on entrenched interests have demonstrated hostility and resentment towards Governor Ademola Adeleke,” the communiqué stated.
Some of the notable 28 signatories to the communique include Governor Ademola Adeleke, former Governor Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Deputy Governor Prince Kola Adewusi, Senator Lere Oyewumi, Hon. Bamidele Salam,
Rt. Hon. Adewale Egbedun, and Hon. Sunday Bisi, among others.