The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has thrown its weight behind Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, in Saturday’s governorship election, despite a recent Court of Appeal ruling affirming the party’s governorship candidate, Adebayo Olugbenga Adedamola.
The development adds a fresh twist to an already intense political contest in Osun State, with the PDP now backing Adeleke, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord Party.
The Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, reportedly upheld Adedamola’s nomination as the PDP candidate and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the party’s participation by including its logo on the ballot.
The ruling followed a legal battle over the validity of the PDP’s governorship primary. The court held that the party had conducted a valid primary under INEC’s monitoring and had submitted the winner’s name to the electoral commission. It also ruled that the nomination access code was an administrative requirement and could not override statutory provisions.
However, the PDP said the timing of the judgment had effectively left its candidate without a realistic opportunity to campaign for the election.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the party said the situation had placed Adedamola at a significant disadvantage, having had little or no time to mobilise voters and campaign across the state.
The party subsequently said its Interim National Working Committee, after consultations with stakeholders, had resolved to support Adeleke as the candidate of the Accord Party.
The decision means PDP members and supporters in Osun have been directed to vote for Adeleke and work to protect the integrity of their votes during Saturday’s poll.
The latest move is particularly significant given Adeleke’s political history with the PDP. The governor resigned from the party in December 2025 amid an internal leadership crisis and subsequently joined the Accord Party to pursue his second-term bid. The Osun PDP had earlier adopted him as its preferred candidate under the Accord platform.
The PDP also criticised INEC, accusing the electoral commission of frustrating its candidate’s participation and alleging that the commission had not treated the party fairly in the nomination dispute.
The party further accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempting to manipulate the electoral process in areas where it lacked sufficient popular support, warning against actions that could undermine the credibility of Saturday’s election.
The development sets the stage for a closely watched governorship contest, with Adeleke now enjoying the backing of his former political party while contesting under the Accord banner.
The PDP’s endorsement could prove politically significant, particularly given the party’s organisational structure and grassroots presence across Osun’s three senatorial districts.
With the election scheduled for August 15, attention will now shift to how effectively PDP members translate the party’s endorsement into votes for Adeleke—and whether the latest court ruling will alter the final shape of the ballot and the political calculations ahead of polling day.
The Osun governorship election is therefore shaping up as a major test of political alliances, party structures and the influence of judicial decisions on Nigeria’s electoral process.
