Lagos PDP supports Adeleke’s exit, cites party’s deepening crisis

The Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has justified Governor Ademola Adeleke’s decision to leave the party ahead of the 2026 Osun governorship election, describing the move as a necessary response to the party’s prolonged instability.

Speaking with journalists on Tuesday, Hakeem Olalemi, PDP Vice Chairman for Lagos Central, said the governor acted in his best interest, given the party’s unresolved leadership disputes and weakened national structure.

According to him, the PDP remains fragmented and unable to offer the institutional backing required for a sitting governor seeking re-election.

Olalemi noted that despite the emergence of new national officers at the party’s November convention in Ibadan, the Independent National Electoral Commission still recognises the previous leadership under Ambassador Umar Damagum and Senator Samuel Anyanwu.

This, he said, raises a critical question about who would sign Adeleke’s nomination forms in 2026 if he stayed in the party.

He argued that no governor would jeopardise a mandate on a platform entangled in legitimacy battles, insisting that Adeleke’s decision was motivated by political survival rather than disloyalty.

He added that persistent internal conflicts have made the PDP unsuitable for any serious contender.

Olalemi accused some influential governors of aggravating the crisis for personal interests and urged founding members of the party to intervene before further damage is done.

He warned that prolonged inaction could render the PDP ineffective and that Adeleke’s departure should serve as a wake-up call on the danger of leaving internal disputes unresolved.