(DDM) – Adebayo Olugbenga Adedamola, widely known as FRYO, has secured the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship ticket for the Osun 2026 election after scoring an overwhelming majority in Tuesday’s tightly guarded primary held in Osogbo.
DDM gathered that the election committee chairman, Humphrey Abba, announced Adedamola as the winner after he polled 919 votes out of the 957 accredited ballots, sealing a landslide victory that effectively positions him as the party’s flagbearer for the August 8, 2026 poll.
The primary, conducted amid heightened political tension within the state chapter of the PDP, recorded 20 void ballots, partly influenced by the last-minute withdrawal of one of the major contenders, reportedly Governor Ademola Adeleke.
Abba declared that Adedamola, who claimed almost all valid votes, “stands elected and returned,” marking one of the most decisive outcomes in recent Osun PDP primaries.
Reports indicate that despite Governor Adeleke’s official resignation from the PDP weeks earlier, his name remained on the ballot due to procedural and administrative delays that prevented immediate removal.
Party officials, however, insisted that the primary followed established internal electoral guidelines.
The exercise included only accredited delegates whose participation was confirmed by the committee supervising the process.
Governor Adeleke had formally exited the party in a resignation letter dated November 4, 2025, addressed to his ward leadership, creating a ripple of uncertainty and internal friction within the state’s PDP machinery.
The ongoing crisis intensified on Monday when Osun PDP chairman, Sunday Bisi, publicly announced the postponement of the governorship primary, originally scheduled for December 2, 2025.
He cited unresolved leadership challenges at the national level as the reason for the delay.
But a powerful faction of the party, dismissing the postponement, convened the primary in Osogbo on Tuesday, insisting that the governorship contest must proceed in line with the previously announced timetable.
This parallel decision ultimately produced Adedamola as the PDP candidate.
The development has heightened interest among political analysts, who note that Adedamola’s emergence comes at a time when the PDP in Osun is grappling with internal fractures, defections, and competing loyalties.
His decisive victory is likely to shape the party’s restructuring strategy and influence coalition-building efforts ahead of the 2026 election.
FRYO’s popularity, grassroots presence, and long-standing engagement with youth constituencies are also expected to play a central role in the forthcoming campaign.
As Osun moves toward a high-stakes election cycle, attention will shift to how the PDP navigates its internal divisions and consolidates support around its newly elected candidate.
Analysts believe that the party’s ability to reconcile warring factions may determine its strength against rival political forces as the August 2026 governorship race gathers momentum.