Open Letter to Governor Ademola Adeleke: Stay with the PDP, Partner with Osun ADC, and Honour the People’s Mandate

Your Excellency, Governor Ademola Adeleke,

Sir, At this pivotal moment in the political trajectory of Osun State and Nigeria as a whole, I write to implore you to remain committed to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) the very platform through which the people of Osun entrusted you with the sacred responsibility of leadership. Your tenure has thus far been defined by a rare, authentic connection with the grassroots an attribute all too uncommon in Nigerian politics. Now is not the time to turn away from that trust.

The widespread rumours suggesting your potential defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) are not only disheartening but deeply unsettling to the countless citizens who defied tremendous odds to ensure your electoral victory. To join the APC, widely viewed in Osun as a party that previously silenced and marginalised the people’s voices, would be nothing short of a betrayal. It would not merely signify a departure from the PDP, but a rejection of the sacrifices made by thousands who fought to reclaim the state from maladministration.

History offers powerful examples of principled leadership by governors who, even in opposition, stayed resolute and served with distinction:

Peter Obi remained in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), despite its minority status at the federal level. Yet he governed Anambra State with prudence and integrity, leaving behind a legacy still revered to this day.

Ayo Fayose, in the face of federal pressure and political intimidation, remained unwavering in the PDP and emerged as a courageous symbol of democratic resistance in Ekiti State.

President Bola Tinubu, as Governor of Lagos State, stood alone in the Alliance for Democracy (AD) when every other state government aligned with the ruling party. He resisted federal oppression under President Obasanjo, especially during the illegal seizure of Lagos State’s local government funds, an injustice strikingly similar to the one Osun is facing today under the same Tinubu presidency.

These leaders are remembered not because they chose the easy road, but because they remained steadfast in the face of adversity, guided by principle and loyalty to their people.

Your Excellency, we urge you not to abandon the ideals that brought you to power. Instead of seeking refuge in a party that has consistently failed the people at both state and national levels, we encourage you to deepen your commitment to the Osun electorate by fostering meaningful collaboration with progressive forces, especially the Osun chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

A strategic alliance between the PDP and the ADC would invigorate governance in Osun State, infusing it with accountability, innovation, and people-centred development, free from the weight of the APC’s regressive legacy.

Sir, politics should not merely be about political survival; it must be about purpose, about legacy. You have before you a rare chance to define yours, not as a leader who compromised for expediency, but as one who stood firm for conviction and honour. The love Osun people hold for you is genuine, but not unconditional. Aligning with the APC may provide fleeting political cover, but it will irreparably diminish the goodwill you have earned.

I respectfully urge you: hold the line. Remain with the people. Stand by the party that stood by you when others turned away.

In truth and with unwavering hope,
Michael Babatunde Abimboye
PDP Ward 5, Ode-Omu, Ayedaade LGA