By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday disclosed that it has commenced moves to investigate the circumstances surrounding the petition purportedly filed in its name to challenge the re-election of Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke.
The party, which publicly disowned the petition, maintained that it neither authorised, instituted, sponsored nor endorsed the suit challenging the outcome of the August 15, 2026 Osun State governorship election.
The PDP made the disclosure at a press briefing held at Wadata Plaza, Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Haruna Mohammed.
The party described the Election Petition No. EPT/OS/GOV/02/2026, reportedly before the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Osogbo, as unauthorised.
The party explained that its National Legal Adviser, Mr Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN, who has constitutional responsibility for instituting and conducting legal proceedings on behalf of the party, did not authorise or instruct any individual or lawyer to file the petition.
According to the National Publicity Secretary, “The PDP did not authorise this petition. It is not our case.”
The party, he pointed out, was aware that Ochai Jacob Otokpa, Esq., was the lawyer purportedly responsible for filing the petition in the name of the PDP, challenging him to produce the authority, instruction or mandate upon which he relied to institute proceedings on behalf of the party.
The PDP spokesman asked: “Who instructed him? Who authorised him? And by what authority did he purport to act in the name of the PDP?”
He said the questions were legitimate and required clear answers from those responsible for the petition.
Mohammed said the party had consequently “completely disowned and dissociated” itself from the proceedings, insisting that the petition did not represent its position until such authority was produced.
The party also disclosed that the purported PDP candidate in the 2026 Osun governorship election, Adebayo Adedamola, popularly known as “Fryo,” had distanced himself from the petition.
According to the PDP, Adedamola stated during an interview with TVC News on September 7 that he neither instructed nor retained any lawyer to institute a petition challenging the election outcome.
The development, the party said, raised further questions about who instructed the lawyer to commence the proceedings and under whose authority the petition was filed.
Mohammed disclosed that the PDP Legal Department was taking immediate steps to formally withdraw the party’s name from the proceedings.
He urged the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Accord Party, Governor Adeleke, security agencies, the media and the general public to take note of the party’s position.
The PDP called on the relevant authorities to disregard the purported petition, its contents and any representation suggesting that it constituted an official action of the party.
It also urged the appropriate authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the preparation and filing of the petition and take appropriate action against anyone found to have unlawfully impersonated the party or used its name, identity or legal personality without authorisation.
The party warned that it would not allow its name, constitutional authority or institutional identity to be appropriated by individuals acting without its mandate.
“The PDP will not allow its name, constitutional authority, or institutional identity to be appropriated by individuals acting without the mandate of the Party,” the statement said.
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