By Ismail Azeez
In a significant political realignment ahead of the 2026 governorship election, six Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members of the House of Representatives from Osun State have defected to the Accord Party.
This move, announced during a stakeholders’ meeting in Osogbo on Monday, coincides with the formal endorsement of Governor Ademola Adeleke for a second term under his new party platform.
Representative Akamo Olohunwa, speaking for the defecting bloc which includes Mahruf Adewale, Bamidele Salam, Soji Adetunji, Mudashiru Lukman Alani, and Larne Oladebo expressed high confidence in the Governor’s electoral prospects.
Olohunwa asserted that internal calculations project an 80% victory for Adeleke, suggesting the remaining 20% of the vote would be split among all other contenders.
The shift appears driven by instability within the PDP’s national leadership.
Senator Lere Oyewumi, representing Osun West, explained that the ongoing crisis at the national level threatened to undermine governance within the state.
He urged residents to shift their loyalty to the Accord Party for the August 15, 2026, polls, confirming that Adeleke has already secured the party’s ticket.
Supporting this transition, Osun PDP Chairman Sunday Bisi revealed that following extensive consultations with party elders and stakeholders across all three senatorial districts, the state PDP structure has been directed to provide total, unalloyed, and uncompromising support to Adeleke’s re-election bid on the Accord platform.
Governor Adeleke accepted the endorsement with gratitude, praising both the PDP and the Accord Party for their perceived maturity and sacrifice.
He framed the alliance as a collective commitment to ensuring the continuity of his administration’s policies.
Addressing the crowd, the Governor urged voters to deliver a massive turnout for the Accord Party on election day to guarantee a victory for his second-term mandate.