It is not exactly known, at least for now what was the reason behind Sunday’s drama, but 48 hours after a viral confrontation with Nigeria’s First Lady, Remi Tinubu — where she tersely told him, “I will switch off your mic” during a public performance — Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has ignited a political storm by announcing his official defection to the Accord Party, ending his long and complicated romance with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
There are talks of another governor, this time in the centre of Nigeria, Barrister Caleb Mutfwang, putting final touches on his defection from the badly depleted PDP to the APC.
It has been explained that the factionalisation of the major opposition party is the reason for the scampering to the APC, a factionalisation orchestrated by a prominent minister , who still continues to insist he is in the party though many of his followers in Rivers State, including the governor, have jumped ship. Governor Siminalayi joined the defection train this evening.
Analysts say any governor who risked remaining in the PDP does so at his own risk, because the judiciary may opt to recognise a renegade group which may refuse to submit their names to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2027 election. “It may become too late then to switch parties and the opportunity for another term may be lost. That is the reason you are seeing these flurry of ship-jumping,” one explained last night.
The announcement by Adeleke on Tuesday inside the opulent Banquet Hall of the Osun Government House, sent ripples through the state’s political landscape. Party leaders, supporters, and stunned observers packed the venue as Adeleke stepped forward, calm but resolute, to confirm what had been whispered in corridors of power for weeks.
Just two days earlier, the governor found himself at the center of national chatter after a dramatic exchange with Remi Tinubu during a social event.
The First Lady, visibly irritated, interrupted Adeleke’s energetic singing and dance routine, warning sharply:
“I will switch off your mic.”
The video exploded across social media, sparking outrage, satire, and political speculation.
For many, it was more than a fleeting on-stage spat — it was a sign of a deeper political fracture.
But inside the Banquet Hall on Tuesday, the governor peeled back the curtain.
Adeleke revealed that he had formally joined the Accord Party on November 6, weeks before his public resignation from the PDP. The move, he said, came after “extensive consultations” with stakeholders disillusioned by the PDP’s internal crises.
“Stakeholders and residents of Osun are aware of why we are taking this decision.
I joined Accord to pursue re-election in 2026 and complete the delivery of good governance.”
He praised Accord’s ideology, describing it as “aligned with welfarism” — the centrepiece of his administration.
As Adeleke spoke, Accord Party national and state leaders nodded in solemn agreement. They had long courted him, but few expected his public unveiling to come on the heels of a national controversy.
The governor’s tone was both sober and defiant.
“Our task now is unity. Accord is our new platform for victory come August next year.”
Thunderous applause punctuated the air as he listed the cities and lands of Osun — from Iwo to Ilesa, from Modakeke to Ede — calling on citizens to “thumb up” for continuity.
The shockwaves were immediate.
• PDP figures fumed, accusing Adeleke of sabotaging the party at a critical election moment.
• Political analysts noted that his move to Accord — a smaller but stable party — marked one of the boldest defections by a sitting governor in recent memory.
• Dele Momodu, a long-time ally, publicly condemned Remi Tinubu’s earlier reprimand, calling it “unacceptable” and “disrespectful,” further fueling tensions.
Meanwhile, supporters flooded social media with competing interpretations:
Was Adeleke escaping persecution?
Or making a gamble that could backfire?
Whether the First Lady’s viral rebuke accelerated the governor’s decision or merely exposed an already-simmering political shift, one thing is clear:
Osun’s political equation has dramatically changed.
Adeleke now stands as the most prominent figure in the Accord Party, preparing for a fierce 2026 showdown. His former party, the PDP, reels from the defection. And the APC, watching from the sidelines, now sees an unpredictable battlefield emerging in the Southwest.
As the dust settles on a tumultuous 48 hours, the question echoing across Osun is simple:
Has Adeleke made a masterstroke — or a monumental miscalculation?
Only time, and the 2026 ballot, will tell.
