Adeleke yet to inform PDP of his resignation, says Turaki

Kabiru Turaki, factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says the party has not received any formal notice from Ademola Adeleke, governor of Osun, regarding his resignation.

On Tuesday, Adeleke resigned his membership of the PDP and attributed his departure to the lingering crisis in the party.

Speaking to journalists after the National Working Committee (NWC) meeting in Abuja, Turaki said Adeleke is within his constitutional rights to leave or remain in the party.

He said the PDP only learnt of the resignation through media reports and has yet to receive an official communication from the governor.

“We have seen online a letter said to be from him resigning from our party, but I tell you that we have not, up to this moment, received any formal indication that he has left,” Turaki said.

The factional chair said Adeleke’s name remains on the list of aspirants contesting for the governorship ticket in Osun.

He added that the party would rely on reports from its officials at the primary to determine whether the governor has voluntarily withdrawn or remains in the race.

“As far as we are concerned, even if the letter circulating online is genuine, Gov. Adeleke, like any Nigerian, has the freedom to associate as he wishes,” Turaki said.

Turaki said the strength of the PDP lies in its supporters, not elected officials who choose to leave the party.

He said defections by governors in some states did not significantly diminish the party’s grassroots support.

“Our people have remained with us, and by God’s grace, when elections come, they will show that the PDP is still solid,” he said.

Turaki said the NWC had reviewed and approved the congresses held in Osun to elect ad hoc delegates.

He said preparations for the local government election in Anambra were also reviewed and that the party is confident of performing strongly in the polls.

Turaki said former PDP governors nominated by President Bola Tinubu for non-career ambassadorial roles have not notified the party.

“If they approach us, we will consider their communication on its merit,” he said.

On the country’s escalating insecurity, Turaki said the federal government must urgently review Nigeria’s security architecture.

He said it is untenable for governors to be described as chief security officers when they have no control over security operations in their states.

“We call on the federal government to brace up and begin a comprehensive review of the security framework in this country,” he said.

On Tuesday, Adebayo Olugbenga Adedamola was named the governorship candidate of the PDP for the Osun 2026 election, after securing 919 votes in the primary held at the Adolak Hall in Osogbo.