…Hon Onifade James admonishes Oyinlola To Regard Himself as an Elder Statesman
In the cutthroat arena of Nigerian politics, where personal grudges often trump party loyalty, former Osun Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola has once more exposed himself as a serial saboteur rather than the elder statesman he ought to be at 75. His latest flip-flopping on Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election bid ahead of the August 8, 2026, governorship poll is nothing short of a direct, calculated attack on the incumbent’s prospects driven by old vendettas, not principle.
This is not about loyalty to any party. Oyinlola is merely weaponizing the word “loyalty” to undermine and destroy Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election ambition after his strategic defection to the Accord Party. By loudly proclaiming unshakeable loyalty to the PDP and refusing to support Adeleke, he is acting as a saboteur, claiming devotion to a party while showing no willingness to back the governor, despite the unanimous agreement among most PDP structures, lawmakers, and stakeholders in Osun to align with Accord for the August 8, 2026, governorship election.
I can remember vividly that Oyinlola was the same person who, in one of his interviews granted in Osun on a radio program declared that Accord is the best and fairest platform for Ademola Adeleke to contest on, precisely because of the ongoing internal crisis rocking the PDP at the national and state levels. He dismissed other options like APGA or NNPP for cultural and practical reasons, describing Accord as a reasonable choice tied to its origins and limited potential for negative campaigns. Yet now, it is still you claiming you were not informed about their decision to join Accord. And it is the same you who continues to attack and undermine the PDP, while arguing that since it has no flag bearer, you can simply sit back and watch it to the end. What exactly is going on, should we call this OLD AGE SYNDROME or WHERE BELLE FACE SYNDROME? Why the sudden flip-flopping and hypocrisy?
He now insists on remaining in the PDP, claiming Ademola did not personally inform him of the move knowing fully well that Deji Adeleke, the governor’s own brother, reached out to him about the outcome of the decision and the shift. Who else was he expecting to tell him? Instead of accepting reality, he is now positioning himself as the almighty in the PDP, deliberately dividing the party into factions: one for himself and the other aligned with Seyi Makinde. All these maneuvers are nothing but a calculated attempt to sabotage the progress and re-election movement of Ademola Adeleke.
Fine, he did not leave the party now he wants to use that position to sabotage the ambition of our dear governor. It is so obvious that the PDP in Osun has no gubernatorial candidate, so Oyinlola and his faction hold no real vote or path to victory. Governor Ademola has shown remarkable large-heartedness by even giving him listening ears after what transpired in 2022, when Oyinlola worked hand-in-glove with Makinde to sabotage Adeleke’s primary through parallel processes, a rival candidate, and prolonged legal battles that dragged on until 2024. Now, he appears set to repeat the same pattern of betrayal.
Oyinlola has disgraced himself with this repeated inconsistency and scheming, but people continue to accord him respect simply because he is the last former governor of Osun State from the PDP era.
At 75, he should rise above petty vendettas, stop these disruptive tactics, and finally conduct himself as a true elder statesman wise, unifying, and focused on the greater good rather than personal grudges.
His actions risk consigning him to political oblivion, while history and Osun voters will remember the sabotage, not the excuses, come 2026.
Governor Adeleke’s path remains strong, backed by the majority of structures and the people’s support. Oyinlola’s noise will fade, as it holds zero meaningful impact on the re-election bid.
E-signed: Hon Comrade James Onifade
Advocate for Good Governance and A Better Judicial System
