Fresh developments emerged on Monday after the lawmaker representing Iwo State Constituency in the Osun State House of Assembly, Rabiu Atanda, withdrew his resignation from the Accord Party just hours after announcing his exit.
A resignation letter allegedly written by Atanda circulated on social media earlier in the day, sparking widespread reactions. The letter, however, had neither a date nor a signature.
Atanda was originally elected into the assembly under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party during the 2023 general elections. He later defected to the Accord Party alongside 24 other lawmakers, including the Speaker, Adewale Egbedun, in support of the re-election bid of Ademola Adeleke ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
In the letter addressed to the Speaker, Atanda stated that his decision to leave the party was personal and that he preferred not to disclose his reasons.
However, a few hours later, the lawmaker appeared in a video alongside the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, and the Speaker, Egbedun, where he announced the withdrawal of his resignation and reaffirmed his support for Governor Adeleke.
Speaking in Yoruba, Atanda said he had rescinded the resignation letter and remained a member of the Accord Party, pledging to work for Adeleke’s re-election.
Meanwhile, his Personal Assistant, Adewale Adigun, suggested that internal issues within the party may have led to the earlier resignation. He stated that Atanda expects to secure the Accord Party ticket for the Iwo State Constituency in the 2027 elections, warning that the lawmaker may leave the party if the ticket is not granted.
Efforts to reach Atanda for further comments were unsuccessful as calls and messages sent to him were not responded to as of the time of filing this report
