Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has officially resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and defected to the relatively unknown Accord Party, a move confirmed on Monday evening.
In a letter dated December 9, 2025 and personally signed by the governor, Adeleke announced his immediate resignation from the PDP, citing “irreconcilable differences” with the national leadership of the party.
Hours later, Accord’s national chairman, Barrister Maxwell Opara, formally welcomed the governor into the party at a brief ceremony in Osogbo.
The defection, which caught many political observers by surprise, comes barely 14 months before the 2026 Osun governorship election.
Sources close to the governor say the move is aimed at securing a fresh platform for his re-election bid after months of frosty relations with powerful PDP stakeholders in the South-West and Abuja.
Speaking to journalists after the Accord welcome event, Governor Adeleke said:
“This is a new chapter for me and for the good people of Osun State. The Accord Party shares my vision of inclusive governance and rapid development. I remain committed to serving our people without distraction.”
The PDP in Osun State is yet to issue an official reaction, but party insiders described the development as “a devastating blow” to its chances of retaining the state in 2026.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) mocked the move, with its state publicity secretary calling it “another episode in the dancing governor’s political musical chairs.”
Accord, a party that has never won a governorship election in Nigeria, suddenly finds itself in the national spotlight as it prepares to hold its Osun primary within the next few weeks, where Governor Adeleke is expected to emerge as the sole candidate.
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Political analysts say the defection underscores the deepening crisis within the PDP and the increasingly fluid nature of party loyalty among Nigeria’s elected officials as the 2027 general elections draw closer.
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