A faction within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has maintained that its Osun governorship primary will still take place on December 2.
During a media briefing on Monday, Sunday Bisi, chairman of the PDP in Osun, announced that the primary scheduled for December 2 could no longer proceed as initially planned.
He explained that Ademola Adeleke, the state governor, might reconsider pursuing the party’s ticket for the 2026 governorship poll unless the current national leadership dispute is resolved in a way recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and within the commission’s deadlines.
The Osun PDP chairman noted that the suspension and counter-suspension of key national officers—who are required for conducting congresses and submitting candidates’ names to INEC—had created uncertainty around the exercise.
Responding in a statement, Theophilus Shan, PDP national organising secretary, said the party had already informed INEC of its timetable and had concluded congresses to select ad hoc and national delegates on November 24 and 29.
Shan, a member of the Kabiru Turaki-led national working committee (NWC) produced at the convention held last month in Ibadan, added that the electoral committee for the primary had been formed and would oversee the exercise.
The statement reads:
“Sequel to the earlier notice of 28 October 2025 to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of our party’s gubernatorial primaries and the successful completion of congresses to elect ad-hoc delegates and national delegates in Osun State on 24 and 29 November 2025,” it said.
It continued:
“The party hereby reminds strategic stakeholders and the general public that the primaries to elect the gubernatorial candidate will hold as follows: Date: 2 December 2025; Venue: Atlantis Multipurpose Hall, Ring Road, Osogbo, Osun State; Time: 10:00am.
Furthermore, the electoral committee for the primaries has been constituted and will oversee the conduct of the primaries accordingly.
The candidates cleared for the primaries are advised to behave in accordance with the provisions of our party’s constitution and in the interest of law and order, as any act of indiscipline will be severely punished.”
PDP CRISIS
The PDP has been embroiled in a long-running internal dispute over the national secretary position between Samuel Anyanwu and Sunday Udeh-Okoye since 2023.
The court of appeal confirmed Udeh-Okoye as secretary in December 2024 after the south-east committee nominated him when Anyanwu became the Imo governorship candidate—even though Anyanwu had secured court orders attempting to prevent his removal.
Judge Ridwan Abdullahi set aside the ruling that favoured Anyanwu, leading Udeh-Okoye to announce himself as secretary, while Anyanwu insisted he had immediately appealed and requested a stay of execution at the supreme court.
The PDP governors recognised Udeh-Okoye on January 31, followed by the board of trustees (BoT). The supreme court later held that the matter was an internal party issue and upheld the minority decision of the appellate court.
In April, governors suggested Setonji Koshoedo as acting secretary pending a new nominee from the south-east, but members from the zone threatened to withdraw in May if Udeh-Okoye was not acknowledged.
The NEC reinstated Anyanwu in June, while a factional convention in Ibadan on November 15 elected a new NWC headed by Turaki and expelled members aligned with Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Wike’s group dismissed the convention as invalid, and following violent clashes on November 18, the police shut down the PDP national secretariat.