Adeleke resigns from PDP hours before governorship primary

By Johnson Arua

With less than 24 hours to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary election in Osun State, Governor Ademola Adeleke has formally resigned his membership of the party.

The development deepens the crisis rocking the Osun PDP and adds fresh uncertainty to the conduct of Tuesday’s scheduled primary.

Earlier on Monday, the Osun State PDP Chairman, Sunday Bisi, had announced that the party would no longer hold the primary election as planned.

He attributed the postponement to unresolved factional disputes within the party, adding that Governor Adeleke was no longer interested in seeking the PDP ticket due to the lingering crisis.

However, a separate letter issued from the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja contradicted the state branch. The letter insisted that the primary election would proceed as scheduled on Tuesday at the Atlantic Multipurpose Hall in Osogbo, the state capital.

The confusion intensified when a letter dated November 4, 2025 purportedly written by Governor Adeleke surfaced on Monday evening. In the letter, addressed to the PDP Chairman of Sagba Ward 2, Ede, the governor announced his resignation from the party.

The letter, titled “Resignation of my Membership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)”, read in part:

“Due to the current crisis of the national leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), I hereby resign my membership of the People’s Democratic Party with immediate effect.”

Governor Adeleke also expressed appreciation to the party for the platform it provided during his political career.

“I thank the People’s Democratic Party for the opportunities given to me for my elections as a Senator (representing Osun West) and as Governor of Osun State under the People’s Democratic Party,” the letter added.

The PDP has been enmeshed in leadership disputes at both the national and state levels, with Osun emerging as one of the most deeply affected chapters.

Adeleke’s resignation now raises critical questions about the future of the party in the state, the fate of the scheduled primary, and the governor’s political direction ahead of the 2026 governorship election.