Oyinlola: Defection Will Ruin Adeleke’s Chance of Re-election

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Former National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and ex-Governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has warned that the rumoured defection of the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) will ruin his chances of being reelected.

He revealed that there are pressures being mounted on Governor Adeleke to defect to the ruling APC at the national level.

Oyinlola, who disclosed this in an interview on Arise News’ Prime News, said that there is nothing attractive in APC that will make the governor defect.

He described the situation as a common trend where the ruling party exerts influence on elected officials, leading to defections.

“It feels horrible, I would say, but the fact is that there is always enormous pressure from the ruling party on all the elected officers, and that’s what is producing this defection on them,” Oyinlola said.

According to him, the Osun governor has resisted the move because it would amount to political suicide, given the APC’s dwindling popularity in the state.

“Why my governor has not gone was just because it would be a dilemma. APC has not fared well with the people of Osun State, and I can say that. Telling him to roll over to APC will mean ruining his political career because the people will not go along with that. He knows it,” he added.

While confirming that the pressure on the governor persists, Oyinlola dismissed any notion that he might be considering defection, describing himself as “a battle-tested general.”

“No amount of pressure will shake me off my post,” he said, boasting of his experience as a former military administrator, a civilian governor, and a PDP national secretary.