The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday said the lingering leadership crisis at the national level, coupled with ongoing court cases, has forced the party to suspend its governorship primary earlier scheduled for Tuesday.
State chairman, Sunday Bisi, who briefed journalists in Osogbo, said although Governor Ademola Adeleke had been cleared by the screening committee on October 30 after submitting his nomination and expression of interest forms, the primary election could no longer hold due to developments beyond the state’s control.
Bisi explained that shortly after the completion of pre-primary procedures, the leadership crisis rocking the national arm of the party heightened.
According to him, the suspension and counter-suspension of key national officers and individuals “statutorily central to the conduct of congresses, primaries, and the transmission of our candidate’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)”, created uncertainties that directly affected the scheduled exercise.
He added that the crisis made it impossible to hold the statutory ad-hoc ward and local government congresses slated for November 24 and 29, where delegates for the primaries were to be elected.
“These are the very congresses where delegates to the primaries are elected. As you are all aware, the issues leading to these disruptions are presently before various courts across the country,” Bisi said.
“In the light of the foregoing, it has become inevitable, indeed unavoidable, that the PDP governorship primaries earlier slated for Tuesday, December 2nd, 2025, can no longer hold as scheduled.
“It is equally important to restate, for the record, that Governor Ademola Adeleke remains the sole aspirant who purchased, submitted, and was duly screened in line with the party’s official timetable.”
He, however, disclosed that Adeleke “may not, any longer, be interested in seeking the nomination of the PDP for the 2026 Osun Gubernatorial Election, except a resolution recognized by INEC is reached within the INEC timeline.”
While noting that the conduct of governorship primaries lies solely with the PDP National Secretariat, Bisi said the state chapter owes the people of Osun a duty of transparency.
“As a party built on transparency and trust, it is only proper that we keep our members and the public abreast of these developments,” he said.
