Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, will unveil the political party he intends to join before December 13, following his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), according to the state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi.
Alimi, who spoke on a political programme on Rave FM in Osogbo on Tuesday, confirmed that the governor quietly handed in his resignation letter to party officials in Sagba Abogunde, Ward 2, Ede North Local Government, on November 4.
He linked Adeleke’s departure to what he described as long-standing internal issues within the PDP.
“The governor of Osun State and the Asiwaju of Ede has formally resigned his membership from the Peoples Democratic Party,” Alimi stated.
“The governor has done this and has written his resignation letter for quite a long time.”
He urged residents to remain calm and continue their support, noting that the governor had been compelled to make a decision based on political realities ahead of next year’s governorship election.
According to him, the unresolved division at the national level of the PDP threatens Adeleke’s chances of securing the party’s ticket before the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) December 15 deadline.
“The governor is happy with the reaction so far, and everybody understands that had it not been the crisis or division at the national level, the governor wouldn’t have defected,” he explained.
“It’s about facing reality as our own election is coming up in August, and the INEC window for nomination is closing by December 15.”
Alimi dismissed claims that the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) was pleased with Adeleke’s move, saying the party had hoped the governor would remain in the PDP and face legal complications.
“They’re pretending; they know what has hit them. Adeleke is smarter. Now they know every step they take, he is always ahead of them,” he said.
He also revealed that discussions are ongoing regarding the governor’s next political platform.
“On or before December 12 or 13, everybody would have known,” he added, noting that the resignation would not have been necessary “had it been that the PDP is not fractionalised at the national level.”
