- Omisore says Adeleke’s interest in APC is driven by fear of losing 2026 re-election under a weakened PDP.
- He claims Adeleke has governed without attracting any APC defection to PDP since assuming office in 2022.
The former deputy governor of Osun State, Dr Iyiola Omisore, has described Governor Ademola Adeleke as a “political orphan”.
Speculations have continued to swirl that Adeleke, who won the 2022 governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, may be planning a move to the All Progressives Congress.
Despite these rumours, Adeleke has publicly maintained his loyalty to the PDP.
He is expected to seek a second term in 2026, with the off-season poll in Osun scheduled for August 8.
There are suggestions that Adeleke may be weighing a party switch due to cracks in the PDP and the recent exodus of some members.
Omisore, speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, said he had no direct knowledge of Adeleke’s alleged plan to join the APC.
“I’m not aware, but the point is that when you want to come to a party, there must be a willing section of the party members,” he said.
“You must come to the home because politics is very local.”
He added that APC members are already asking what value Adeleke would bring, considering the slim margin of his victory in 2022.
“What are they bringing to the party? In the 2022 election, APC garnered 375,000 votes, PDP had 403,000 votes, and the difference between them was 3.97 percent,” Omisore said.
“This 3.97 percent includes those that worked against the party, like former governor Aregbesola (ADC), and other leaders of PDP who have all moved to APC now.”
He claimed that PDP has not recorded any significant defection from the APC in the state since Adeleke assumed office.
“For the past three years, he has been governing that state with no single defection from APC to PDP,” he said.
“Meanwhile, one-seventh of PDP members have moved to APC, which you know, of course — Alhaji Isa Oyedokun, Dayo Babayemi, Hon Wole Oke and others are still coming.”
He questioned Adeleke’s alleged desperation to gain entry into the APC fold.
“As a governor, you are popular enough to take another party. The governor of Abia has now left the APC for a new party.
“Why do you want to force yourself on the party? Why is the governor (Adeleke) begging to enter the party?
“He is struggling, begging and fighting to join APC.”
Omisore also dismissed reports that Adeleke was seeking support from Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun to smoothen his entry.
“APC is not divided in Osun State. I’m not saying Adeleke cannot join the party,” he said.
“He has the constitutional right to associate with any party, but it is not by going to look for friendship in Ogun or Abuja to join the Osun APC.”
“You cannot be meeting Governor Dapo Abiodun to anchor you into our party.”
He said Adeleke’s concern is more about securing a second term than ideological conviction.
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