Osun 2026: Tension Rises as APC, PDP Battle Over Adeleke’s Screening

Tension rose in Osun State on Thursday as the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) clashed over the screening of Governor Ademola Adeleke ahead of the 2026 governorship election.

Governor Adeleke was screened alongside other PDP aspirants at the party’s National Secretariat, Legacy House, in Abuja. The exercise, which took place behind closed doors, was attended by key party figures including the PDP South West Vice Chairman, Kamarudeen Ajisafe, Osun PDP Chairman, Sunday Bisi, Secretary to the State Government, Teslim Igbalaye, and some state commissioners.

After the screening, Adeleke expressed confidence in his administration’s achievements and his chances of securing re-election. He stated that his government had delivered on its campaign promises and enjoyed broad support across the state. He also maintained faith in the electoral process, expressing optimism that the coming election would reflect the will of the people.

However, the APC in Osun swiftly responded, describing the PDP’s screening process as a desperate attempt to repair what it called the governor’s political image. The opposition party accused Adeleke of mismanaging state resources and running what it described as an unproductive administration.

In a statement issued by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, the APC alleged that Adeleke’s government had spent over ₦60 billion on the Governor’s Office in less than three years without employing any new teachers in public schools. The party also accused the administration of neglecting education funding, leading to arbitrary increases in tuition fees at state-owned tertiary institutions.

The APC further claimed that thousands of job seekers were defrauded during a failed teacher recruitment exercise. It said the governor’s record in office was filled with wasteful spending and poor governance, predicting that his re-election bid would not succeed.

The party also alleged that Adeleke had made moves to defect to the APC but was turned down. It described the PDP’s screening exercise as a “cover-up” to divert attention from his failed attempt to cross over. According to the APC, information within its reach suggested that the governor had recently sought support from the presidency to secure a political lifeline.

The APC maintained that no political platform could save Adeleke from defeat in 2026, arguing that the people of Osun had already made up their minds to reject him at the polls. The party expressed confidence that it would reclaim control of the state, insisting that the ruling PDP had lost public trust due to poor governance.