The announcement, made public late Monday, comes just hours before the party’s scheduled gubernatorial primary for the 2026 elections, highlighting the deepening crisis within the PDP’s national leadership.

Adeleke’s resignation letter, personally signed and dated November 4, was addressed to Sagba Abogunde, the PDP Ward Chairman for Ward 2 in Ede North Local Government Area, Osun State.

 Titled “Resignation of My Membership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP),” the document cites the ongoing internal strife at the party’s headquarters as the primary reason for his departure.

“Due to the current crisis within the national leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), I hereby resign my membership of the PDP with immediate effect,” Adeleke wrote. 

He expressed heartfelt gratitude to the party for its role in his political ascent, noting, “I thank the People’s Democratic Party for the opportunities given to me for my elections as a Senator (Represented Osun West) and as Governor of Osun State under the People’s Democratic Party.”

The timing of the revelation is particularly poignant, as it follows rumors of Adeleke’s dissatisfaction with the PDP’s internal divisions, which have plagued the party since 2023 and intensified in recent months. 

This makes Adeleke the fifth PDP governor to defect in 2025, joining a growing list that includes Peter Mbah of Enugu, Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, and Douye Diri of Bayelsa, many of whom have reportedly aligned with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). 

With only seven PDP governors remaining, the party’s grip on opposition politics appears increasingly tenuous ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In Osun, the resignation has thrown the PDP’s gubernatorial primary originally set for Tuesday at the Atlantic Multipurpose Hall in Osogbo into disarray. 

The state chapter postponed the event amid conflicting signals from the national secretariat, which had earlier insisted on proceeding despite Adeleke’s apparent withdrawal of interest in seeking the party’s nomination. 

PDP Osun State Chairman Sunday Bisi had warned on Monday that Adeleke was unlikely to pursue the ticket without resolution to the leadership woes.

Governor Adeleke, a former senator and scion of a prominent Osun political family, won the state’s governorship in 2022 under the PDP banner after a protracted legal battle. 

His exit raises questions about his re-election strategy for 2026, with unconfirmed reports suggesting he may pivot to another platform, possibly the Accord Party or even the APC.