Governor Ademola Adeleke’s visit to President Bola Tinubu, accompanied by members of the Adeleke family, has stirred political speculation in Osun State, prompting clarifications from both the governor’s camp and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Photos of the meeting, which included Governor Adeleke, his elder brother Dr. Deji Adeleke, and popular musician David Adeleke (Davido), circulated widely on social media on Tuesday. The images sparked rumors that the Adeleke political dynasty might be planning to defect to the APC ahead of the 2026 gubernatorial elections.
In response, the Osun State APC, through former House of Assembly Speaker Timothy Owoeye, firmly rejected these claims. Owoeye stated that the party’s gubernatorial ticket is not for sale and that Governor Adeleke is not a member of the APC.
“I want to make it clear that the APC ticket is not for sale. As of today, we do not consider Adeleke as part of the APC,” Owoeye said. “The APC in Osun is the party to beat.”
He also suggested the Adeleke family’s interest in the APC stems from insecurity within the PDP. “With their tenure ending on August 8, 2026, we are poised to remove the PDP from Osun government. We urge our people to remain calm—there is no place for PDP or Adeleke in the APC,” he added.
Meanwhile, Governor Adeleke’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, dismissed the rumors as baseless. He described the visit as a routine courtesy call and reaffirmed the governor’s loyalty to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“The media speculation about an imminent defection is false. Governor Adeleke remains a committed member and leader of the PDP in Osun State,” the statement said. “The Adeleke family’s visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was purely a courtesy call. Any suggestion of defection is fake news.”
