The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has declared Senator Ajibola Basiru unelectable ahead of the 2026 governorship election, insisting he lacks the popularity and political strength to unseat the incumbent, Governor Ademola Adeleke.
In a statement issued by the party’s Director of Media and Publicity, Oladele Bamiji, the PDP described Basiru’s ambition as unrealistic and advised him to focus on securing the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket before dreaming of challenging Adeleke at the polls.
The party’s reaction follows comments from Basiru’s campaign team, which recently called on Governor Adeleke to prepare for defeat in the forthcoming election.
Bamiji referenced Basiru’s loss in the 2023 senatorial election, describing it as proof of his dwindling political relevance. “Political ambition is not about rhetoric or speaking polished grammar,” he said. “If Senator Basiru had delivered quality representation during his time in the Senate, he would not have been roundly rejected by voters in Osun Central.”
According to Bamiji, the APC would be doing the PDP a favour by fielding Basiru in the 2026 governorship race, describing him as no match for Governor Adeleke. “He lacks the statewide appeal and personality to pose any serious threat,” he added. “If Basiru becomes the APC candidate, it would make our victory even easier.”
Meanwhile, Basiru’s campaign team had earlier released a statement marking Governor Adeleke’s 65th birthday, praising the governor while also expressing their readiness to contest the next election. The statement, signed by Prof. Aderemi Ajala, acknowledged Adeleke’s 2022 victory but criticized his administration for poor performance in key sectors such as agriculture, education, and healthcare.
The team also accused the governor of frequently being absent from the state, a situation they claimed has stifled development. They challenged the state government to account for how public funds received over the past 30 months have been utilized.
According to them, Senator Basiru is best positioned to restore good governance and reverse the alleged decline under the current administration.
It will be recalled that Basiru, who is a leading gubernatorial aspirant in Osun APC, had also opposed the idea of zoning the party’s 2026 ticket to Osun West Senatorial District, stating his disagreement in a recent social media post
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