Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun state, has resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
According to a statement released by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke confirmed his departure in a letter dated November 4, addressed to the chairman of ward 2 in Sagba Abogunde, Ede north LGA, Osun.
In the letter, he explained that his decision was prompted by the ongoing turmoil within the PDP’s national leadership.
“Due to the current crisis within the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), I hereby resign my membership of the PDP with immediate effect,” the letter reads.
He went on to express appreciation for the roles the party played in his political journey.
“I thank the Peoples Democratic Party for the opportunities given to me for my elections as a senator (representing Osun west) and as governor of Osun State under the Peoples Democratic Party.”
NewsClick Nigeria reports that the governor also posted a copy of his resignation on his verified and official X (formerly Twitter) account.
Meanwhile, Adeleke did not indicate which political platform he plans to join next.
Earlier on Monday, Sunday Bisi, the PDP chairman in Osun, had hinted that Adeleke might pull out of the party’s 2026 governorship primary unless the leadership crisis is resolved in a manner acceptable to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and within its stipulated timeframe.
The Osun chapter of the party also announced that the December 2 governorship primary would no longer proceed as scheduled. However, the Kabiru Turaki-led national working committee (NWC) insisted the exercise would still go on.
Adeleke now becomes the latest governor to leave the opposition party in 2025.
Others who have defected from the PDP include Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, Peter Mbah of Enugu, and Douye Diri of Bayelsa.
Speculation earlier in the year suggested Adeleke might move to the All Progressives Congress (APC) or the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a claim he previously dismissed.
Adeleke is expected to seek re-election on August 8, 2026—one of the few off-cycle governorship contests.
In the 2022 poll, he secured 403,371 votes to defeat the incumbent Gboyega Oyetola of the APC, who obtained 375,027 votes. Adeleke won in 17 LGAs, while Oyetola secured victory in 13.
In January 2023, the Osun governorship tribunal nullified his victory, ruling that Oyetola proved over-voting occurred in several polling units, and directed INEC to issue the certificate of return to Oyetola.
Adeleke challenged the decision at the court of appeal, which restored him as governor in March. The supreme court later upheld his election in May 2023.