The Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, has said Governor Ademola Adeleke will formally join a new political party before December 13, following his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party.
PUNCH Online earlier reported that the governor, in a statement on Monday, confirmed he submitted his resignation to PDP officials in Sagba Abogunde, Ward 2, Ede North Local Government, on November 4, 2025.
Speaking on a political programme on Rave FM in Osogbo, the state capital, on Tuesday, Alimi said the resignation was the result of prolonged internal crises within the PDP.
“The governor of Osun State and the Asiwaju of Ede has formally resigned his membership from the Peoples Democratic Party. The governor has done this and has written his resignation letter for quite a long time,” he said.
Alimi urged citizens to remain calm and continue supporting the governor.
“It was long overdue. We appreciate the people for their support, and we can only urge the people to continue to support the governor.
“Immediately I see many people around me, I will always be happy and be joyous,” he said, citing a Yoruba adage that literally translates to mean the people are the governor’s protectors.
On the reasons for Adeleke’s exit, the commissioner highlighted the internal PDP crisis at the national level as one of the main factors.
He noted that the situation was particularly pressing with the governorship election approaching and the Independent National Electoral Commission nomination window closing.
“The governor is happy with the reaction so far, and everybody understands that had it not been the fact of the crisis or division at the national level, which will play a very crucial role in the nomination of the governor, the governor wouldn’t have defected.
“It’s not even about the issue of defection; it’s about facing reality as our own election is coming up in August, but the INEC window for nomination is closing by December 15, so that’s why the governor has to resign,” Alimi said.
Addressing speculation that the opposition All Progressives Congress welcomed Adeleke’s resignation, Alimi described the notion as false.
“They’re pretending, they know what has hit them. They thought he would be a stupid person, so that they would now be able to use that one to challenge him. When you see the problem of the PDP, those people causing problems for us in the PDP are apologists for other political parties.
“So, the APC in Osun thought Adeleke would be so gullible to the extent of contesting in the PDP so as to use the problem in the national to file a case against him and continue to fight him on all fronts, but Adeleke is smarter. Now, they know every step they take, Adeleke is always ahead of them; they’re not happy,” he said.
On when Adeleke will officially join a new party, Alimi said discussions are ongoing, and clarity will come before December 13.
He said, “As per the question, where the governor is going, let us take it one after the other because an election is a process.
“He has resigned now, but let’s say on or before December 12 or 13, everybody would have known that one because the deadline for the nomination, primary, and some other things for the political parties is December 15.”
The commissioner reiterated that the governor’s resignation was avoidable, had it not been for the party’s internal divisions.
“Had it been that the PDP is not fractionalised at the national level, there wouldn’t be any reason for Gov Ademola Adeleke to have resigned from PDP,” he added.