Former Osun State governor and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has blamed intense pressure from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the recent wave of defections rocking the PDP in Osun State, including the defection of two senators.
Speaking in an interview on Arise News, Oyinlola described the defections as the result of “enormous pressure from the ruling party and elected officials,” suggesting the APC is deploying coercive tactics to destabilize opposition strongholds.
“It feels horrid, I would say. There’s always enormous pressure from the ruling party, from all the elected officers, and that’s what is producing this defection up and down,” he remarked.
Although Oyinlola did not name the senators, the PDP in Osun has recently suffered high-profile defections, including federal lawmakers, fueling speculation about internal fractures and external pressures.
He, however, emphasised that Governor Ademola Adeleke had resisted the pressure to switch parties, despite being targeted by similar tactics.
“Why my governor has not gone was just because it would be a dilemma. APC has not fared well with the people of Osun State, and I can say that anywhere. Now, telling him to roll over to APC will mean ruining his political career because obviously, the people will not go along with that. He knows it. But there’s pressure on him,” Oyinlola said.
When asked whether he was under similar pressure to defect, the former military administrator of Lagos State and ex-civilian governor of Osun replied confidently: “Me? I’m a battle-tested general. No amount of pressure will set me off.”
Oyinlola, who also served as national secretary of the PDP, reaffirmed his loyalty to the party and declared that his political experience had taught him to stand firm in the face of adversity.
His comments came at a critical moment for the PDP in Osun, as defections threaten the party’s unity and raise questions about its resilience ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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