By Michael Ofulue, Osogbo
Former Governor of Osun State and founding National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Adebisi Akande, has strongly warned against the rumoured defection of the state Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke to the APC ahead of the 2026 governorship election.
In a statement, Chief Akande described such a move as “politically dangerous, morally confusing, and strategically ill-advised.”
He cautioned that accepting Governor Adeleke into the APC while still in office could undermine the integrity of the party and disillusion long-serving party loyalists.
“Let him test his popularity at the 2026 polls,” Akande declared. “If the people of Osun still stand with him, he can then consider joining APC as a free citizen, not as a sitting governor hiding under a collapsing structure.”
Chief Akande, renowned for his unwavering stance on party discipline and ideological clarity, stressed that the APC was not created to accommodate political opportunists.
He said the idea of Adeleke defecting from a weakened PDP to seek shelter in the APC runs counter to the founding values of the party.
“We formed the APC not as a shelter for politicians seeking relevance after failure, but as a movement grounded in progressive ideas and accountable leadership,” Akande said. “Governor Adeleke’s defection at this stage would distort that vision.”
He further warned against any political arrangement that sacrifices the years of hard work and dedication by Osun APC members for short-term political gains.
“Those who built this party from the ground up, who stood firm through electoral defeats and legal battles, cannot be sidelined for someone who only yesterday was leading the charge against us,” he said.
The APC elder statesman also urged the national leadership of the party, as well as South-West stakeholders, to tread carefully and avoid hasty political decisions that could destabilise the party’s structure in Osun.
“The national leadership must resist any temptation to impose Governor Adeleke on Osun APC without wide consultation,” he advised. “Defections are welcome, but they must happen after elections—when individuals come on merit, not calculation.”
Chief Akande’s warning comes amid growing speculation that Adeleke may be considering a switch to the APC, following increasing tensions within the Osun PDP.
As political realignments continue ahead of the 2026 governorship race, Chief Akande’s intervention is likely to ignite further debate on the future of the party politics in the state.