Governor Adeleke has opened up on alleged planned defection to APC after meeting with President Tinubu.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the Governor of Osun, Ademola Adeleke, has denied reports suggesting he is planning to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) following a widely publicised visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Lagos.
The governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, issued a statement on Wednesday describing the speculations as baseless and false.
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The viral photos showing Governor Adeleke, his elder brother, billionaire businessman Deji Adeleke, and music superstar David Adeleke (popularly known as Davido) at President Tinubu’s Ikoyi residence on Tuesday sparked rumours of a political realignment.
However, Rasheed said the visit was merely a family courtesy call with no political undertones.
The statement read, “The media speculation about likely or imminent defection is fake news.
“Governor Adeleke remains a member and leader of the PDP in Osun State. The visit by the Adeleke dynasty to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a routine courtesy visit. Any reading of defection agenda into the visit is mere fake news.”
Meanwhile, the Osun State chapter of the APC has dismissed any possibility of welcoming Governor Adeleke into its fold, stating that the party’s 2026 governorship ticket is “not for sale.”
Speaking to journalists, the former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Timothy Owoeye, said the ruling party was not in talks with the governor or his allies.
Owoeye said, “I’m saying this categorically that the APC ticket is not for sale.
“As of today, we don’t see Adeleke as a member or part of the APC. The APC in Osun is the party to beat.”
He further accused the Adeleke family and the PDP of being “gripped by fear of the unknown” ahead of the 2026 governorship race.
Owoeye said, “Now that the Adeleke family has seen that their tenure is already terminated, come August 8, 2026, we are driving away the PDP from the Osun government. There is no space for PDP or Adeleke in the APC.”
