Oyinlola Canvasses Accord Party Platform For Adeleke As PDP Turmoil Deepens

Fresh permutations have emerged in Osun’s political landscape as former governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has openly backed the prospect of Governor Ademola Adeleke seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord Party, should the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scuttle his nomination chances ahead of the 2026 governorship contest.

Speaking on Rave FM’s Yoruba current affairs programme Oro Oselu, monitored in Osogbo, Oyinlola expressed deep concern over the prolonged leadership tussle within the PDP, warning that the uncertainty was already threatening the governor’s pathway to securing a valid ticket.

He dismissed reports linking Adeleke to other alternative parties, insisting that both the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and other fringe options were structurally unprepared for a major election cycle.

According to him, “ADC does not possess the necessary structure to prosecute a governorship election in Osun. As for APGA and NNPP, our detractors will frame them along ethnic lines — calling APGA an Igbo party and NNPP a Hausa platform. This is not the kind of political baggage the governor needs at this time.”

Oyinlola, who disclosed he had been in ongoing talks with the governor before his travel overseas, said the final decision would be taken once Adeleke returns to the country.

He noted that the proximity of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) deadline for party primaries — December 15 — had compounded the pressure on the PDP, whose national leadership crisis remains unresolved.

“Our governor is committed to seeking re-election, but the situation at the national level of the PDP leaves everything hanging. Nobody knows where the crisis will end. Once he returns, we will jointly review the options and close ranks on the next course of action,” he said.

Oyinlola emphasised that Adeleke’s performance in office had already cemented public confidence, arguing that Osun voters were not ready to “experiment with governance” by handing power to a new or untested candidate.

He maintained that the governor’s track record would naturally attract followers to whichever platform he chooses, should the PDP fail to put its house in order.