Turaki-led PDP counters Osun chapter, says governorship primary will hold December 2

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has insisted that its governorship primary in Osun state will be conducted on December 2.

Addressing journalists earlier on Monday, Sunday Bisi, chairman of the PDP in Osun, said the party’s governorship primary scheduled for December 2 can no longer hold as planned.

He said that Ademola Adeleke, governor of the state, may withdraw from seeking the party’s ticket for the 2026 gubernatorial election unless the ongoing national leadership crisis is resolved in a manner recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and within its timelines.

The Osun PDP chair added that the suspension and counter-suspension of key national officers, who are essential to organising congresses and transmitting candidates’ names to INEC, created uncertainty around the process.

Commenting on the development in a statement, Theophilus Shan, PDP national organising secretary, said the party had earlier notified INEC of its schedule and had completed congresses to elect ad hoc and national delegates on November 24 and 29.

Shan is a member of the Kabiru Turaki-led national working committee (NWC) of the PDP, produced at the party’s convention held in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, last month.

The factional organising secretary added that the electoral committee for the primary election had been constituted and would supervise the process.

“Sequel to the earlier notice of 28 October 2025 to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of our party’s gubernatorial primaries and the successful completion of congresses to elect ad-hoc delegates and national delegates in Osun State on 24 and 29 November 2025,” the statement reads.

“The party hereby reminds strategic stakeholders and the general public that the primaries to elect the gubernatorial candidate will hold as follows: Date: 2 December 2025; Venue: Atlantis Multipurpose Hall, Ring Road, Osogbo, Osun State; Time: 10:00am.

“Furthermore, the electoral committee for the primaries has been constituted and will oversee the conduct of the primaries accordingly.

“The candidates cleared for the primaries are advised to behave in accordance with the provisions of our party’s constitution and in the interest of law and order, as any act of indiscipline will be severely punished.”

PDP CRISIS

The PDP has faced a prolonged crisis centred on the disputed national secretary seat between Samuel Anyanwu and Sunday Udeh-Okoye since 2023.

The court of appeal affirmed Udeh-Okoye in December 2024 after the south-east committee nominated him when Anyanwu became the Imo governorship candidate, despite injunctions obtained by Anyanwu seeking to block his removal.

Ridwan Abdullahi, the judge, voided the ruling protecting Anyanwu, prompting Udeh-Okoye to declare himself secretary, while Anyanwu said he immediately appealed and sought a stay at the supreme court.

The PDP governors recognised Udeh-Okoye on January 31, followed by the party’s board of trustees (BoT), before the supreme court ruled the dispute an internal matter and upheld the appellate minority judgement.

In April, governors proposed Setonji Koshoedo as acting secretary pending a fresh south-east nominee, but south-east members threatened to exit in May if Udeh-Okoye was not recognised.

The NEC reinstated Anyanwu in June, while a factional convention held in Ibadan on November 15 elected a new NWC led by Turaki and expelled the group loyal to Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Wike’s camp rejected the convention as illegitimate, and after violent clashes on November 18, police sealed the PDP national secretariat.