Osun 2026: Ife PDP bigwigs battle Adewusi for deputy governorship seat

– PDP faction passes no-confidence vote on Adeleke’s deputy, BoT member

– They are jesters – Oladipo

– PDP calls for calm

By Shina Abubakar, Osogbo

As the Osun State governorship primary election approaches, forces within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the State have started moving to tackle the incumbent deputy governor, Kola Adewusi over his position.

While party faithfuls agreed that Governor Adeleke has the right to vie for a second term in office, many party leaders, especially from Ile-Ife, where the deputy governor want him replaced from the same zone.

Findings revealed that party leaders from Ife Federal Constituency were pushing that the Governor should replace his deputy on the ground that he (deputy) did not have the backing of party supporters in Ifeland.

Vote of no confidence

The crisis climaxed on Monday evening as the party held its Federal Constituency meeting in Ile-Ife.

It was gathered that the meeting was supposed to be hosted by the deputy governor, being the leader in the zone, but on arrival at his residents, thugs allegedly stopped party leaders from accessing the venue.

The meeting was eventually moved to the Senatorial leaders’s residence in the Ife, where various critical decisions were taken and communique issued at the end of the meeting.

In the said communique the party lamented over the decision of the Deputy Governor, Adewusi, ex National Secretary and Board of Trustees member, Professor Wale Oladipo, as well as the party Chairman for Ife-East local government fraternizing with APC members in the town, especially Hon. Taofeek Ajilesoro.

The communique, which was signed by the party Financial Secretary, Adesoji Adegoke, two serving Commissioners, Dipo Eluwole, Biyi Odunlade and former deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly Ropo Oyewale described the move of the deputy governor and others as dangerous for the party ahead of next year’s election.

The communique which was countersigned by 35 other leaders of the party, reads in part, “that party leaders strongly condemn the invitation of thugs and hoodlums to the Ife Federal Constituency meeting by the Party Chairman, Hon. Olasunkanmi Makinde (a.k.a Benco), purportedly on the instructions of Prof. Wale Oladipo. This meeting was earlier scheduled to be held at the residence of the deputy governor.

“That the leadership is equally disappointed by the continued fraternity of Prof. Wale Oladipo, the Deputy Governor Prince Kola Adewusi, and the Ife East PDP Chairman, Hon. Olasunkanmi Makinde (a.k.a Benco), with Hon. Bimbo Ajilesoro, who has since defected from the party.

The meeting also resolved that the trio of deputy governor, Professor Oladipo and Makinde, actions amounted to anti-party activities and posed grave danger to the success of the party in Ifeland.

“A vote of no confidence is passed on, Prof. Wale Oladipo, the Deputy Governor Prince Kola Adewusi, and the PDP Chairman of Ife East Local Government, Hon. Olasunkanmi Makinde (a.k.a Benco)”, the communique added.

However a party source in Ifeland revealed that those at the meeting were aggrieved over the seat of the deputy governor and were desperate to replace him ahead of the 2026 governorship election.

Reacting, Oladipo described the leaders at the meeting as group of jesters who does not know the position of the party’s constitution before taking decision.

He said many of those at the gathering were trying to start fresh crisis within the party, saying as a stakeholder, he would not allow it to escalate.

People are willing to start fresh crisis within the party ahead of next year and I would not allow it to thrive. Ajilesoro is an indigene of Ile-Ife like myself and I would not join a fight against him. Myself and the deputy governor are leaders and our responsibility is to attract people to the party not encourage them to leave.

“And those willing to fight the deputy governor should pick a new fight, he and the governor would be re-election together next year by God’s grace”, he added

Meanwhile, the Osun PDP in a statement issued by the Chairman, Sunday Bisi directed parties in the crisis to maintain status quo in line with the party internal crisis resolution mechanism.

“The party directs all members and stakeholders in Ife Federal Constituency to immediately suspend further actions capable of escalating the situation. All concerned are hereby instructed to maintain status quo in line with the conflict resolution mechanisms of our party.

“The State Chapter of the PDP reiterates its respect and high regard for leaders of the party, particularly His Excellency, Prince Kola Adewusi, Deputy Governor of Osun State, and Prof Wale Oladipo, member of the PDP Board of Trustees. They remain critical pillars of our party, and any grievances directed at them must be channelled strictly through the internal conflict resolution mechanisms of the party, not through unilateral pronouncements or public declarations.

“The PDP warns that any action capable of undermining the authority of the party or flouting its rules and procedures will not be tolerated. Our party is governed by laws, guidelines, and established processes. Every member is therefore expected to conduct themselves accordingly.

“The party is taking immediate steps, summoning concerned stakeholders to a meeting with a view to resolving all issues as members of the same family”, he said.

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