There was tension in Osun State on Tuesday after the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Adewale Egbedun, stormed the venue of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary with several lawmakers and aides, confronting officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and party members. The dramatic scene unfolded at the Adolak Event Centre in Osogbo, shortly after the winner of the primary election was announced.
The incident, which was captured in videos circulating on social media, showed the Speaker and his entourage entering the premises in anger and immediately engaging with INEC officials present to monitor the exercise. The development has raised fresh questions about the internal unity of the PDP in Osun and the ongoing tension between political stakeholders in the South-West ahead of the 2027 general election.
Eyewitnesses said the Speaker arrived at the venue alongside the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Akinyode Oyewusi, and several other lawmakers. They arrived moments after the PDP announced its governorship primary winner, a process Egbedun and his group described as illegal and unacceptable.
A video from the scene showed Egbedun pointing at the INEC Public Relations Officer, Mr. Musa Olurode, who was present in an official monitoring capacity. According to witnesses, one of the Speaker’s aides attempted to physically attack the INEC official during the confrontation. The Deputy Speaker reportedly intervened quickly, ordering the aide to stop and urging calm before the situation escalated further.
The Speaker later moved into the main hall, where he expressed anger at the conduct of the primary, insisting that the people present had no authority to hold such an exercise in Osun State without the knowledge of the legitimate PDP leadership structure.
Addressing journalists after the confrontation, Egbedun issued a direct warning to Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, accusing him of meddling in Osun politics and attempting to use the state to advance his rumoured 2027 presidential ambition.
He said the lawmakers had been in the Assembly complex when they received calls alerting them that individuals “from Oyo State” had arrived in Osun to conduct what he described as a “drama” in the name of a primary election.
He said: “I am the Speaker of Osun. I am a leader in my state and in the PDP. We were on the floor of the House when we received calls that some people were here, all the way from Oyo State, to come just to have a vote that we call a drama.”
Egbedun, who won his election into the Osun House of Assembly on the PDP platform in 2023, said it was shocking to see people claiming to be PDP members conducting a primary without notifying key party leaders in the state.
He added: “I am a leader of the PDP and a bona fide member of the party. It is very strange to see videos of people calling themselves PDP members. I remember that there was a message that there was going to be a congress. We were waiting for them, and then we received another message that the congress had been postponed.”
The Speaker then issued a warning to Governor Makinde: “If he is desperate to become President in 2027, he should use another state as a tool, not Osun State. We are bona fide PDP members. We have 25 House of Assembly members, five Reps members, and senators.”
Egbedun stressed that the lawmakers and party leaders in Osun would not allow political decisions about their state to be dictated from outside, especially by leaders from neighbouring states.
He said: “For a governor from another state to come to our state to dictate to us, we won’t take that. This is a message to everybody that we won’t take this anymore. They came here to do what I can call a drama, and this will be the end of it.”
The Speaker further insisted that neither he nor any recognised PDP leader in Osun received official communication about the primary election. According to him, the exercise lacked legitimacy and was conducted without the involvement of the appropriate party organs.
He added: “We do not have any notifications whatsoever from any office. I am the Speaker, and a governor from another state will come to dictate to us; we won’t take that. We will have a meeting and decide on what to do.”
The incident highlights growing tension within the PDP in Osun State. For months, party members have been divided over control, leadership direction, and influence from neighbouring states, particularly Oyo. This has created a complex political environment, especially as preparations begin across Nigeria for the 2027 general elections.
Governor Seyi Makinde, a major figure in South-West PDP politics, has often been accused by political rivals of trying to extend his influence beyond Oyo State. Although he has not publicly declared any intention to run for president, rumours remain strong, especially after his increased national visibility in recent years.
Osun’s PDP, on the other hand, has experienced internal disagreements since the 2022 governorship election that brought Governor Ademola Adeleke to power. Some factions believe the state chapter does not receive enough respect from regional leaders, while others insist the party must work more closely with key figures in the South-West to strengthen its influence.
Although videos of the confrontation have gone viral, INEC is yet to release an official statement on the attack on its official at the venue. The Commission normally monitors party primaries to ensure compliance with electoral guidelines, and any disruption involving its officials is considered a serious matter.
The Speaker and Osun lawmakers have promised to hold an emergency meeting to decide their next steps. It remains unclear whether they will petition the PDP national leadership or seek a formal cancellation of the primary exercise.
