The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State has said Governor Ademola Adeleke may no longer be interested in seeking the nomination of the party for the 2026 governorship election.

The party, however, said Adeleke’s decision may change with the resolution of crises ravaging the party, which must be recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission and reached within the commission’s timeline for the Osun governorship poll.

Addressing journalists in Osogbo, the state capital, on Monday, Osun PDP Chairman, Mr. Sunday Bisi, said the crises ravaging the party have made the conduct of the party’s governorship primary earlier slated for December 2 impossible.

Bisi affirmed that Adeleke fully complied with all requirements set out in the PDP’s timetable for nomination, adding that he
“purchased and submitted the expression of interest and nomination forms within the stipulated window of October 13th to 25th, 2025, being the deadline for submission.”

He further explained that Adeleke appeared before the duly constituted screening committee of the party on October 30, was screened, and cleared without reservations, with the Certificate of Clearance issued to him in accordance with the party’s procedures.

“However, soon after these pre-primary processes were concluded, the internal imbroglio rocking the national leadership of our party escalated.

“The suspension and counter-suspension of key national officers, officers who are statutorily central to the conduct of congresses, primaries, and the transmission of our candidate’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), created a level of uncertainty that directly impacted the planned schedule.

“This crisis reached a point where the statutory ad-hoc ward and local government congresses, scheduled for November 24th and 29th respectively, could not hold.

“These are the very congresses where delegates to the primaries are elected. As you are all aware, the issues leading to these disruptions are presently before various courts across the country,” Bisi said.

He added, “In the light of the foregoing, it has become inevitable, indeed unavoidable, that the PDP governorship primaries earlier slated for Tuesday, December 2nd, 2025, can no longer hold as scheduled.

“However, because of the internal crisis rocking the national leadership of our party, the information at my disposal is that Governor Ademola Adeleke may no longer be interested in seeking the nomination of the PDP for the 2026 Osun Gubernatorial Election, except a resolution recognised by INEC is reached within the INEC timeline.”

It was earlier reported that the crises ravaging the PDP at the national level have polarised the party into factions.

According to the timetable released by INEC detailing activities towards the August 8 Osun governorship poll, parties fielding candidates have till December 15 to submit the names of their candidates.

Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has dismissed suggestions that he may run as a vice-presidential candidate with the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, or be part of any joint presidential ticket in the 2027 elections.

Amaechi declared that he is running for the presidency and will not be a running mate to anybody.

His statement comes after Atiku’s political ally and media entrepreneur, Dele Momodu, suggested that Atiku might consider the former Rivers State governor should the 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi declines to run with him.

Momodu, in an interview with Sunday PUNCH, said, “A lot of people are underrating Amaechi. Amaechi single-handedly handed power to Buhari. What the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, is doing now, though in an unruly manner, Amaechi did quite well when he was governor of Rivers State. Amaechi mobilised more than any other person for Buhari, even more than Tinubu. If Obi does not make up his mind or chooses to run alone, then I believe the mantle might fall on Rotimi Amaechi.”

Responding through his media aide, David Iyofor, Amaechi insisted that his ambition is solely to become the President of the country and not Vice President.

Amaechi distanced himself from any alliance aimed at making him a running mate.

‎”Amaechi is not seeking to be a running mate to anybody. He does not intend to be a presidential running mate to anybody and will not,” Iyofor said.

‎He added that Amaechi believes it is the turn of Southern Nigeria to produce the next president and is therefore pursuing the presidential ticket of the ADC.

‎”Amaechi is not aware of, and will not be part of any talk to be running mate to anybody. For emphasis, Amaechi is running to be President of Nigeria and not to be a running mate to anybody.

‎”Politicians are kindly advised to leave Amaechi’s name out of any discussion for presidential running mate,” Iyofor added.

‎Amaechi, who contested the All Progressives Congress presidential ticket in 2023, defected to the ADC earlier this year and has since declared his intention to seek the party’s nomination for the 2027 election.

Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Mudashiru Obasa, has charged his colleague-lawmakers to be thorough and transparent as they embark on a review of the 2026 Appropriation Bill presented to the House by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu last Tuesday.

Obasa spoke during a three-day budget retreat of the Assembly, holding at the Park Inn by Radisson, Abeokuta, Ogun State, from November 26 to 28. The retreat, themed “Budget of Shared Prosperity: Enhancing Accountability and Transparency in Lagos State Budget Process”, was attended by all lawmakers, select legislative staff, and senior aides of the Speaker.

Speaker Obasa said with the formal presentation of the ‘Budget of Shared Prosperity’ by Governor Sanwo-Olu, “It now behoves you, as representatives of the people, to do your job with clinical efficiency, empathy, diligence, self-awareness, transparency, and conviction. The governor has done everything to convince us that they have done a thorough job on the Budget, but it is left to the Assembly to decide how we will go about appropriating the state’s resources to align with the demands and aspirations of every Lagosian.”

Obasa further stated that he firmly believed that waste of scarce resources can be curbed if lawmakers perform their oversight functions effectively. “But when you pretend like you don’t see what you are supposed to see in the budget or you allow your palms to be greased, don’t forget, you are going back home; you are going back to that community that you didn’t defend or protect its interest when it was important to do so. And it is at home that your political fate will be decided. Let us do what is expected of us, and we will get it right,” he said.

The annual offsite budget retreat, which reflects Obasa’s insistence on a people-centric budget, aims to review and analyse, and ensure the timely passage of the state’s appropriation bill.

Among the resource persons at the retreat were Mr Olufemi Orojimi, the Director of Budget, Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, who spoke on ‘Understanding the 2026 Appropriation Strategy: Insights from 2025 Budget Performance and Implementation Caps’; Dr Muda Yusuf, Founder/CEO, Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, who did justice to his papers on ‘An overview of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework’ and Improving legislative Oversight for Budget Implementation: The strategic role of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

With the smoothness of a hot knife through butter, Yomi Olugbenro, West Africa Tax Leader at Deloitte, discussed ‘Navigating Nigeria’s New Tax Regime: Roles and Responsibilities of the Legislature.’ Other facilitators were Muhammad Sani Abdullahi, Director/Clerk, Senate Public Accounts Committee; Olusegun Mojeed, the immediate past president/chairman, Board of Fellows, CIPM Nigeria; and Ifeanyi Peter, National Team Leader, Partnership for Agile Governance and Climate Engagement.