Adeleke Urges Ife PDP Stakeholders to Unite, Warns Against Opposition Division Tactics

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has intervened to resolve the recent factional crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ile-Ife, which had led some stakeholders to pass a vote of no confidence in his deputy, Kola Adewusi.

The confidence vote had also targeted Professor Wale Oladipo, a member of the PDP Board of Trustees, and Mr. Olasunkanmi Makinde, Chairman of Ife-East Local Government, over alleged ties with Hon. Taofeek Ajilesoro, the House of Representatives member who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In response, Governor Adeleke convened a peace meeting with stakeholders from Ife Federal Constituency alongside top PDP leaders, including State Chairman Sunday Bisi, Senator Lere Oyewumi, Secretary to the State Government Teslim Igbalaye, and Chief of Staff Kazeem Akinleye.

A statement by Adeleke’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, noted that grievances among the warring factions were set aside in the interest of party unity ahead of the 2026 governorship election.

The governor said:
“Throughout this meeting today, I see Ile-Ife PDP very truly united. I listen to all the leaders here and I see clearly a communication gap among the leaders. There is also a strong sign of an outsider plot to divide Ife PDP.

“Now that we have seen the roots of the matter, I charge us to get back to work. Our administration has done so much for Ifeland and we are still going to do more. Ile-Ife is a PDP territory. Go back and sustain the tempo. I commend the elders and leaders, the senatorial leader, the local party chairmen, the elected party chairmen, party chiefs and operatives. Go back and continue working for the victory of the party.”

Speaking earlier, PDP Chairman Sunday Bisi described the crisis as a “family affair,” stressing that all sides had shown genuine loyalty to the party.

Bisi added:
“We are glad that all issues have been ironed out. It is the resolution of this meeting that all statutory meetings for party mobilisation should reconvene and all party members and leaders should decisively frown at any act capable of misinterpretation as anti-party activity.”