Adeleke Intensifies Consultations Ahead of 2026 Platform Switch

 

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has stepped up strategic engagements with political stakeholders across the state as anticipation heightens over his imminent announcement of a new party platform for the 2026 governorship election.

Although speculation has dominated public discourse in recent weeks, the governor has maintained silence on his preferred political vehicle, a stance attributed to what insiders describe as his determination to secure broad-based input before making a public declaration.

Sources confirmed that Adeleke held a closed-door parley with former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola at his Okuku country home, where extensive deliberations on the governor’s next political move reportedly took place. The meeting gained significance given earlier signals dropped by Oyinlola about the likely direction of Adeleke’s political future upon his return from the United States.

Neither Adeleke nor Oyinlola issued a statement after the talks, fuelling further curiosity within Osun’s political circles.

Similarly, the governor was said to have met Senator Olu Alabi, a prominent elder and the 1999 governorship candidate of the PDP. The discussion, according to knowledgeable insiders, also centred on the search for a new party platform.

In what observers described as a decisive step, Adeleke recently hosted an enlarged stakeholders’ forum involving over 1,000 top political leaders from the 30 local government areas and the Area Office. Present at the meeting were commissioners, special advisers, and senior government officials.

A participant disclosed that the state’s full party structure, alongside leading figures within the Adeleke political machinery, endorsed the governor’s quest to adopt a fresh platform ahead of 2026.

“The forum overwhelmingly backed the governor,” the source said. “We recognized the deep factionalisation within the PDP and agreed that the governor must secure a viable party platform for his re-election bid. The stakeholders mandated him to conclude consultations and announce the new party as quickly as possible.”

The governor, sources added, also met with elected councillors drawn from all 332 wards. A councillor at the meeting confirmed that the local lawmakers pledged support for Adeleke irrespective of the party he eventually adopts.

“It was the first time a governor would address councillors directly,” the councillor noted. “We were briefed on the state of affairs within the PDP, and after internal discussions, we reaffirmed our commitment to work for his re-election.”

Indications emerged yesterday that Adeleke may unveil his new party next week, barring last-minute changes. A source hinted that the decision aligns with the approaching deadlines in the electoral timetable.