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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has disowned a petition filed in its name challenging the re-election of Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, declaring that it neither authorised the legal action nor instructed anyone to contest his victory at the election tribunal.
The party, which has begun moves to formally withdraw its name from the suit, also demanded an investigation into those behind the petition, insisting that its identity and legal personality would not be used for unauthorised litigation.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, said the petition, marked EPT/OS/GOV/02/2026, did not have the approval of the party’s National Legal Adviser, who is constitutionally empowered to institute legal proceedings on its behalf.
“As a matter of law and established practice, the institution of legal proceedings in the name of, or on behalf of, the Peoples Democratic Party is a matter within the authority vested in the National Legal Adviser of the Party, subject to the Party’s Constitution and applicable law,” Mohammed said.
“We therefore wish to place it on record that the purported petition in question does not have the blessing, approval, support, or authority of the National Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party.”
The controversy followed the appearance of the petition at the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal after the August 15 election won by Adeleke.
Adeleke, who won his first term on the PDP platform in 2022 but subsequently left the party, contested the 2026 election on the platform of the Accord Party. He polled 511,067 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 444,815 votes, a margin of 66,252 votes.
The PDP candidate, Adebayo Adedamola, had also publicly denied filing or authorising any petition challenging Adeleke’s victory, saying neither he nor his lawyer instituted the action.
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The PDP national leadership has now reinforced that position, completely dissociating itself from the petition.
“The Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, INEC, the Accord Party, Governor Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke, and all security agencies are urged to note that the PDP completely disassociates itself from Election Petition No. EPT/OS/GOV/02/2026,” Mohammed said.
He disclosed that the party’s Legal Department had begun immediate steps to formally remove the PDP’s name from the proceedings.
“Furthermore, the Party’s Legal Department is taking immediate steps to formally withdraw its name from the unauthorised suit. The Party further urges the appropriate authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the purported petition,” he said.
The party warned that it would not tolerate the use of its name by individuals acting without authorisation.
“The PDP will not permit its name, identity, or legal personality to be misused by individuals for purposes contrary to the official position of the Party,” Mohammed said.
The dispute over the petition comes less than a month after Adeleke secured a second term in the August 15 election.
INEC declared him winner after he polled 511,067 votes against Oyebamiji’s 444,815, while African Democratic Congress candidate, Najeem Salaam, finished third with 17,180 votes. Adeleke won 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, with the APC taking 11.
The controversy has now shifted from a challenge to Adeleke’s victory to questions over who authorised and filed the petition in the PDP’s name, with both the party’s national leadership and its governorship candidate denying responsibility.
