After a significant meeting involving President Bola Tinubu and Governors Ademola Adeleke of Osun State and Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, speculation has intensified regarding possible defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Reports indicate that the gathering, which took place on Tuesday at the President’s private home in Ikoyi, Lagos, has ignited a fresh discussion concerning the political allegiances of both governors.
Governor Adeleke, accompanied by his brother and business magnate Deji Adeleke as well as Afrobeat icon David Adeleke (known as Davido), was said to have talked about political issues with Tinubu. These issues included the Osun governorship election in 2026 and the general elections in 2027.
Adeleke’s attendance at the meeting follows closely after he visited APC chieftain and former Osun Governor, Bisi Akande, intensifying rumors of a possible switch to the APC.
This visit is particularly noteworthy because it comes at the same time that the federal government is withholding Osun’s local government allocations for February, March, and April 2025.
Adeleke, who broke the APC’s 12-year hold on Osun in 2022, also handed the state to the PDP’s presidential candidate in 2023, achieving a clean sweep of Senate and House of Representatives seats. His political influence in the South-West has thus turned into a key focus for both camps.
“Should the party persist in ignoring the interests of governors in its strongholds, it may risk losing its frontline leaders before 2027,” cautioned a PDP insider.
With Oyetola, the former governor who is now part of the federal cabinet, lacking a clear successor, the APC, intent on regaining Osun in 2026, confronts an internal challenge. It is suggested by analysts that Adeleke could be sought after to strengthen Tinubu’s support in the South-West region, particularly with the 2027 presidential election approaching.
According to sources close to the presidency who spoke with the Guardian, Adeleke is reportedly looking for guarantees of non-interference in his 2026 re-election campaign as part of a deal to support Tinubu’s ambitions for 2027. His recent meeting with Attorney General Prince Lateef Fagbemi further signifies strategic consultations.
Fubara in Focus In Rivers State, it seems that Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s political path is aligning with federal interests. His visit to Tinubu follows a resurgence of tensions involving the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike. The crisis, which has arisen from a drawn-out legislative impasse, has led to the suspension of pro-Fubara lawmakers and the reemergence of impeachment threats.
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Tinubu mediated a ceasefire in December 2023, but peace is still out of reach. Chief Olusegun Osoba, who served as the governor of Ogun in the past, validated that reconciliation efforts are underway by stating, “The discussions were cordial, but the details remain private.”
Meanwhile, Fubara has not yet made an open comment regarding his political loyalty; According to sources, a potential arrangement could involve the federal government removing sanctions against him in return for his alignment with the APC or support for Tinubu’s re-election.
The political calculations for Adeleke and Fubara are straightforward: a realignment could fulfill their local ambitions and connect them with the federal centre. For the APC and Tinubu, incorporating influential opposition governors could bolster the party’s control over power as they approach the 2027 elections.
