Osun 2026: Adeoti Dumps Aregbesola-Backed ADC Group, Gives Reasons

Former Secretary to the Osun State Government, Mr. Moshood Adeoti, has officially declared his withdrawal from the Omoluabi Progressives, a faction within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Osun State.

Adeoti, who served as Secretary to the Government throughout the eight-year term of former governor Rauf Aregbesola, held the position of Deputy Leader within the Omoluabi Progressives.

Previously, he was the favored candidate of Aregbesola and his supporters for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket during the primary election held on February 19, 2022.

However, he was defeated by then-incumbent governor Adegboyega Oyetola.

Following their expulsion from the APC, Aregbesola, Adeoti, and other members of the Omoluabi Progressives transitioned to the ADC.

During the formal unveiling of the ADC in Osun last Tuesday in Osogbo, Adeoti attended the event, addressed the gathering and participated actively in the proceedings.

However, in a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Omoluabi Progressives and dated November 30, 2025, Adeoti said he would no longer participate in the activities of the group.

Explaining the reasons for his decision, he wrote, “My decision to withdraw was never an easy one, especially each time I look back and consider all my investments in ensuring the survival of the group throughout its turbulent period from inception till date.

“Coupled with this has been pressure from my family members, both immediate and extended, on the need to take a short rest from all political activities.”

Before Adeoti’s resignation letter began circulating on social media late Saturday, reports had emerged that another chieftain of the group, Dr Najeem Salaam, had been chosen as the preferred aspirant for the ADC governorship primary.

Two reliable sources within the Omoluabi Progressives, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Adeoti left because he failed to secure the group’s support for the primary.

One of the sources told our correspondent on Sunday, “Our apex leaders are 15 in number. They met in Lagos over the weekend and held a mini-election to choose the aspirant the group would back for the ADC governorship primary.

“Three people showed interest: Senator Adelere Oriolowo, Dr Najeem Salaam and Alhaji Adeoti. In the election, Najeem, a former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, got 11 votes; Adeoti got three; while Oriolowo got one.

“He is leaving because of that. I recall that in 2022, a similar mini-election was held among Aregbesola’s supporters. Najeem won again, but our leaders prevailed on him, and he stepped down for Adeoti, and we all supported him in the APC primary.”

Efforts to reach Adeoti for clarification were unsuccessful, as calls to his phone did not connect, and he had yet to respond to a text message as of the time of filing this report.

But when contacted, the Publicity Secretary of the Omoluabi Progressives and Director of Media of Osun ADC, Oluwaseun Abosede, said Adeoti had developed a pattern of leaving whenever decisions did not favour him.

Abosede said, “We are disappointed he left. Politics involves crises and resolutions. We believe politics is not about personal interest. Our system has done everything to favour Alhaji Adeoti before now.

“When he was AC and ACN chairman, the Ogbeni system favoured him, and he became SSG. The same system supported him when Ogbeni wanted someone from the West Senatorial District as governor in 2018. Unfortunately, Asiwaju (President Bola Tinubu) rejected the idea, and Ogbeni had to obey his leader.

“Adeoti left us then. We were not happy, but we were not angry. Now that he has left again, we are not happy, but still not angry. We are praying that, just as he did before, he will return to the system.”

Asked for the specific reason Adeoti left, Abosede said, “It is best known to him. I am not him, and he is not me. Unfortunately, it is becoming a pattern — a pattern we don’t like and don’t appreciate. He may simply be angry.”