By Peace Udugba -The Daily Torch Media
Former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has clarified his decision to withdraw support for Governor Ademola Adeleke ahead of the August 15, 2026, governorship election.
Oyinlola alleged that Adeleke joined the Accord Party without adequate consultation with key stakeholders, despite prior discussions on possible alternative political platforms amid the crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The former governor made this known on Tuesday during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State.
According to Oyinlola, he had earlier engaged Adeleke and his brother, Deji, in discussions on four alternative platforms that could be considered for the governorship election should the PDP crisis undermine the party’s prospects in Osun.
He said the platforms considered were the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Action Democratic Party (ADP), and Accord Party.
Oyinlola stated that he personally favoured the Accord Party, believing it would be more acceptable to voters in Osun State.
“I think I had discussions with the governor and his brother, Deji, on four possibilities. We had some understanding on which of the platforms would be attractive, not to the party alone, but to the people of the state,” he said.
He added that stakeholders had anticipated that the crisis at the national level within the PDP could weaken the party’s structure in Osun.
“We foresaw this problem with the commencement of the turbulent weather that hit the PDP at the national level. So, we knew it would likely permeate downwards,” Oyinlola said.
He explained that it was agreed that stakeholders would reconvene after Adeleke and his brother returned from abroad to determine the final platform.
According to him, he was therefore surprised to learn through social media that Adeleke had resigned from the PDP and joined Accord without further consultation.
“Both of them were outside the country when we discussed. And we said, as soon as they come back, let’s have a stakeholders’ meeting so that we can fine-tune which of the parties we want to use.
“Surprisingly, my governor came back from the U.S. Without any discussion, without any stakeholders’ meeting to fine-tune things the way we had agreed, I saw on social media, like every other member, that my governor had resigned from the PDP and joined ACCORD.”
Oyinlola described Adeleke’s action as an example of what he termed a lack of inclusiveness in political decision-making within the administration.
“Even though we were all thinking of what platform would best serve our interests, it would have been better to carry everybody along in that decision,” he said.
He added that while some political appointees and office holders followed Adeleke into the Accord Party, efforts to unify all stakeholders ultimately did not succeed.
“Some, especially the appointees and political office holders, went with him into ACCORD. It was meant to bring everybody together, but that failed.”
Why Oyinlola Backed Oyebamiji
Oyinlola’s comments came days after he led a faction of PDP stakeholders in Osun to endorse the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji.
The endorsement was announced at an event in Osogbo attended by Oyinlola, former Secretary to the Osun State Government, Fatai Akinbade, and former PDP National Vice Chairman, Southwest, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo.
Oyinlola said the group was not abandoning the PDP but had decided to support Oyebamiji based on conviction and what they considered to be in the best interest of Osun State.
He said the decision was also influenced by what he described as a lack of inclusiveness in the Adeleke administration.
“And we felt we should exercise our conscience as stakeholders who have served the state. I do believe that at this particular moment, Osun State will require a different direction. That was why we did what we did,” he said.
Accord Party Reacts
The Osun State chapter of the Accord Party has, however, dismissed the endorsement, insisting it would not affect Adeleke’s re-election bid.
In a statement signed by the party’s state chairman, Victor Akande, the party alleged that Oyinlola, Akinbade, and Oladipo had worked against Adeleke during the 2018 and 2022 governorship elections.
Akande claimed the trio later returned to Adeleke’s camp after his 2022 victory and benefited from the administration.
The Accord chairman described Oyinlola’s latest move as politically insignificant and accused the former governor of returning to what he had previously abandoned.
The exchange has further heightened political tensions in Osun ahead of the August 15 governorship election, with incumbent Governor Adeleke facing a challenge from APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji and other contenders.
