The Osun State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Sunday Bisi, on Wednesday dismissed claims of his removal by a so-called stakeholders’ forum, describing the move as illegal, null, and of no effect. He reaffirmed his leadership and stated that the party has endorsed Governor Ademola Adeleke for re-election in the August gubernatorial poll.

Addressing journalists at the PDP secretariat in Osogbo, Bisi said, “The forum lacks legal powers or mandate to remove or tamper with the elected structures of the party. I remain the chairman, and as the PDP has no candidate for the August gubernatorial election, the party has endorsed Governor Ademola Adeleke for re-election.”

Bisi further emphasized that the leadership crisis at the national level had previously threatened Governor Adeleke’s candidacy, but the governor acted rightly by seeking a platform for his re-election.

He also criticized statements attributed to former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, calling them “an open betrayal and a continuation of a failed 2022 plot to stop Governor Adeleke.” According to Bisi, the so-called stakeholders’ group represents a minor faction that had failed to influence the outcome of the 2022 gubernatorial election.

“The mainstream of the PDP, covering all our local and ward structures, supports our leadership and the direction we took to endorse the governor. Our elected officials, excluding the governor and deputy governor, remain firmly in PDP. Any other narrative comes from a small group opposed to Governor Adeleke,” he said.

Bisi concluded that the “minor rebellion” by the stakeholders’ forum had already failed before it began, asserting that the party’s elected mandate cannot be truncated by any unelected or unauthorized group.