Adeleke’s defection rumour spark speculation 

After the recent visit of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke to President Bola Tinubu has ignited fresh debate over a possible defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Governor, accompanied by his billionaire elder brother, Chief Adedeji Adeleke, and Afrobeats superstar son, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, met with President Tinubu at his Lagos residence on Monday.

Although the purpose of the private meeting remains undisclosed, political observers have begun connecting the dots, especially as the President has lately intensified efforts to consolidate influence in traditionally opposition-controlled states.

Photos from the closed-door meeting, which have since gone viral, show the Adeleke family in what appeared to be a cordial interaction with the President.

However, neither the Presidency nor Governor Adeleke has issued an official statement on the nature of the visit, leaving room for a wave of political interpretations and permutations.

Multiple sources within both the APC and PDP suggest that Adeleke’s defection could alter the political calculus in Osun and beyond. Should the governor join the APC, insiders say he stands to gain an automatic return ticket for the 2026 governorship election, control of the party structure across all wards and local governments, and guaranteed political protection for his loyalists.

A senior APC chieftain, who preferred anonymity, said: “If Governor Adeleke comes into our fold, it won’t be just a defection — it will be a merger of political dominance. The PDP in Osun will collapse overnight, and the governor will automatically become the party leader in the state.”

The implications run deep. It is believed that pending court cases challenging the tenure of local government chairmen loyal to Adeleke could be struck out or lose steam.

Furthermore, lawmakers across both the state and National Assembly, many of whom are already leaning towards the APC, may officially switch sides, creating a legislative sweep in favour of the ruling party.

Meanwhile, the development is causing visible cracks within the Osun PDP, as party loyalists express fear over being sidelined.

“This would be the end of our structure,” a grassroots PDP coordinator lamented. “Everything we’ve built would be handed over to the APC on a silver platter.”

As discussions rumble on in political circles, opposition figures are reportedly mobilising to form a coalition ahead of what they describe as a “looming political absorption.”

According to insiders, if Adeleke crosses over, current APC aspirants may have to collapse their structures and align with the governor’s camp ahead of the next party congress.

While Governor Adeleke has yet to make any public declaration, the visit to President Tinubu may have already signalled the start of a new political chapter — one that could redraw the map of Osun politics.