The Osun State government has emphatically denied recent widespread rumours suggesting that Governor Ademola Adeleke intends to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to join the opposition coalition’s platform, the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Mallam Olawale Rasheed, the spokesperson to the governor, issued a statement to journalists in Osogbo, the State capital, on Wednesday, branding the rumour as unequivocally false and a calculated maneuver.

According to Rasheed, these defection claims are an intentional effort by individuals allegedly apprehensive of Governor Adeleke’s increasing public acceptability. Their objective, he stated, is to sow confusion and generate uncertainty among the state’s populace. “We want to reiterate for the umpteenth time that Governor Adeleke remains committed to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and has no plan whatsoever to join the ADC or any party for that matter,” Rasheed declared.

Governor Adeleke’s current primary focus, the spokesperson highlighted, is the continuous delivery of democratic dividends to the people of Osun State, who overwhelmingly entrusted him with their mandate three years ago. Furthermore, Governor Adeleke, alongside key leaders within the PDP, is actively engaged in galvanizing the party’s structures for the ongoing voter registration exercise, a crucial preparation for next year’s election, where he is deemed well-positioned for victory.

Rasheed explicitly identified those behind what he termed the latest wave of misinformation as individuals attempting to exploit the immense goodwill Governor Adeleke enjoys with the Osun people to sway public support. He emphasized that a series of unsolicited endorsements for Governor Adeleke are unsettling his political adversaries. Therefore, the public is strongly advised to disregard any reports linking the governor to a defection move, as such claims are entirely unfounded.

Lastly, Rasheed urged members and supporters of Governor Adeleke to resist the ploys of fake news purveyors. Instead, he encouraged them to channel their efforts into mobilizing votes for the governor’s re-election bid, firmly under the banner of the PDP. He reiterated that Governor Adeleke, as a true man of the people, fully acknowledges the overwhelming goodwill and confidence that the Osun populace places in both the PDP and his leadership, affirming that he would not act against the collective will of the people.