Speculation over potential defections from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has deepened after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu met with PDP governors Ademola Adeleke of Osun State and Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State at his private residence in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday.

Governor Adeleke, who was accompanied by his brother and business mogul, Dr. Deji Adeleke, and his nephew, popular Afrobeat singer, David Adeleke, also known as Davido, reportedly discussed a wide range of political matters with the President, including the 2026 governorship election in Osun and the 2027 general elections.

Adeleke?s visit, coupled with a recent meeting with APC founding member and former Osun governor, Chief Bisi Akande, has raised suspicions within PDP ranks that the governor may be considering switching allegiance to the APC.

The optics of the meeting, coming at a time when the federal government withheld local government allocations to Osun for February, March, and April 2025, has further fuelled rumours of a strategic political realignment.

Governor Adeleke, who defeated former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola in the 2022 Osun gubernatorial election, successfully ended the APC?s 12-year rule in the state. In the 2023 general elections, Adeleke also delivered the state to PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar and helped the party win all three senatorial seats, the majority of House of Representatives seats, and a firm grip on the State Assembly.

These victories, observers note, have made Adeleke a key political figure in the South-West, and his possible defection would significantly weaken the PDP?s national standing while enhancing Tinubu?s strategic leverage in his home region.

While the APC has openly expressed its ambition to reclaim Osun in 2026, internal dynamics remain a challenge. With Oyetola now serving in Tinubu?s cabinet and unlikely to run again, the party appears to lack a formidable candidate. This has led to speculation that the ruling party may be courting Adeleke to consolidate its hold on the South-West ahead of 2027.

Sources within the presidency told The Guardian that Adeleke may be seeking assurances from Tinubu that he will not face federal interference in his re-election bid in exchange for supporting the President?s re-election in 2027. A recent visit to the Attorney General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, also appears to be part of these broader calculations, especially amid controversies surrounding withheld local government funds.

Osun APC, however, is not welcoming the idea of Adeleke?s defection. Reacting to the Lagos meeting, former Speaker of the State Assembly, Timothy Owoeye, declared ?no space? for Adeleke in the APC. ?We don?t see Adeleke as a member or part of the APC. The APC ticket is not for sale. Their time is up by August 8, 2026,? Owoeye said.

Also, the PDP downplayed the speculation. Its spokesperson in Osun, Oladele Bamiji, described the APC?s uproar as ?naivety and arrogance,? stating that Adeleke?s meeting with Tinubu was strictly in the spirit of intergovernmental courtesy.

Similarly, the governor?s spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, dismissed defection rumours as ?fake news.?

?Governor Adeleke remains a bonafide member and leader of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State. The visit was a routine courtesy call by the Adeleke dynasty,? he said.

Adeleke?s recent isolation from national PDP activities further deepens speculation. His absence during former Vice President Atiku Abubakar?s recent visit to Osun, where Atiku met with former Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola, a known Tinubu ally now leading a third force within the Osun APC, has been widely interpreted as a sign of internal cracks within the PDP.

In addition, the lingering crisis over the PDP?s National Secretary position and the perception among southern governors like Akwa Ibom?s Umo Eno that the party leadership is insensitive to regional equity have created an atmosphere of distrust.

A PDP source told The Guardian that the failure to resolve internal zoning disputes and enforce power rotation is pushing some governors to rethink their political futures. ?If the party continues to disregard the interests of governors in its strongholds, it risks losing its frontline leaders ahead of 2027,? the source said.

IN Rivers State, Governor Siminalayi Fubara?s political future also appears increasingly entangled with federal calculations. His visit to Tinubu, days after a renewed face-off with his estranged godfather and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has triggered speculation that he may be seeking presidential support to resolve the protracted legislative crisis in the state.

Since late 2023, Fubara has been locked in a political battle with Wike loyalists who dominate the state assembly. Although Tinubu had brokered a temporary truce last December, tensions have remained high, culminating in recent impeachment threats and the suspension of key pro-Fubara lawmakers.

Former Ogun State Governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba, confirmed that efforts have been ongoing to reconcile both sides. ?There have been interventions. The discussions were cordial, but the details remain private,? he said.

While Fubara has yet to openly comment on his political loyalty, sources say a deal may be in the works that would see the federal government lift sanctions against him in exchange for alignment with the APC or support for Tinubu?s re-election.

The stakes for both Adeleke and Fubara are high. For Adeleke, a smooth path to re-election in 2026 might require a d?tente with the presidency. For Fubara, political survival may hinge on federal backing in the ongoing battle with Wike?s camp.

If the two governors defect or align tactically with the APC, it would mark another blow to the PDP, which has already lost key governors to the ruling party, including David Umahi (Ebonyi), Ben Ayade (Cross River), and Bello Matawalle (Zamfara) before the 2023 elections.

With the 2027 race already gathering momentum, Tuesday?s meeting could be more than a courtesy visit; it may be the prelude to a significant political realignment.

Saraki hints at defections, predicts PDP?s resurgence by 2027

Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has hinted that some members of the Peoples Democratic Party might still defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).The chairman of the PDP Reconciliation Committee also stated that politicians from other parties might join the PDP.

Saraki disclosed this to journalists in Ilorin shortly after re-registering as a PDP member. He expressed optimism that the party would bounce back at the state level by 2027. He said, ?The only viable opposition party is PDP, and yes, there are challenges. I have taken it upon myself to do my best. I am seeing responses from our colleagues ready to settle our differences.

?We were able to hold our National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting and have scheduled another meeting for the end of this month. Between now and then, there will be a lot of groundwork. Luckily for us, we started early; we have two years more. We have time to identify those who will stay and rebuild the party. Some might still go, and some might still join us.

?Like today, I received new members into the party at the state level. Once there is stability at the top, I?m sure we will begin to see a better future for PDP. I thank Nigerians for being patient with the leaders of the party,? he said. Saraki assured PDP loyalists that the party leadership was making concerted efforts to rebuild the party.

?I want to use this opportunity to reassure our members across the country that we are doing our best to rescue the party?s situation. We are confident that we will tackle the situation; we are committed to it.

?Because we are all committed to fledgling democracy, and fledgling democracy means a vibrant opposition. We all have to make personal and group sacrifices in the interest of the country,? he added.

Maku denies facilitating Gov Alia?s defection to PDP

A former Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, has dismissed claims that he is facilitating the defection of Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State from the All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party.

In a statement yesterday, Maku clarified that his involvement in the recent Good Governance Tour of development projects in Benue was entirely apolitical.

Speculation arose after reports suggested Alia had engaged Maku, a PDP member, as part of his media team, fuelling rumours of potential political realignment. However, Maku described these interpretations as baseless, stating that the initiative was purely non-partisan.

?The Good Governance Tour is a professional effort designed to shift the focus of political leaders ? across all parties and at all levels ? away from endless political quarrels towards the urgent need for development and service delivery, particularly to the grassroots,? Maku said. He noted that the tour concept is not new, recalling its origins during his tenure as Minister of Information, when he launched the National Good Governance Tour as a platform to assess and showcase development initiatives by various leaders nationwide.

?Prof. Jerry Gana also undertook a nationwide media tour during his time as the Minister of Information and National Orientation,? Maku added. ?At that time, it became clear that our political space was dominated by power tussles, and not enough attention was being paid by political actors and the media to the real needs of the people. The tour helped many leaders refocus on their core mandate, which was service to the people.

?As sitting minister then, I led journalists to states governed by different political parties, and the feedback was very encouraging. Several state governors confessed that the tour prompted them to take their development agenda more seriously.?

Maku explained that his continued concern over the lack of governance priorities motivated him to revive the Good Governance Tour alongside like-minded professionals, including Dr. Mike Omeri, former Director-General of the National Orientation Agency.

?The tour remains a tool for civic accountability and public engagement,? he emphasised. (The Guardian)

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