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Osun Lawmaker Withdraws Resignation Letter Under Duress – Aide

ByOlamilekan Adigun

PublishedMarch 23, 2026

•Withdrawal Of Ticket Reason For Initial Resignation – Sources

The reason for the initial resignation of the lawmaker representing Iwo State Constituency at the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon Rabiu Atanda, has emerged.

OSUN DEFENDER reports that the lawmaker earlier in a letter which was not dated or signed announced his resignation from the Accord Party.

Atanda in the letter addressed to the Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Adewale Egbedun, said his decision to leave the party was personal, adding that he would prefer to keep the reason undisclosed.

“I hereby tender my resignation from the Accord Party, effective immediately. This decision is personal, and I’d like to keep the reasons to myself,” the letter read.

But in a surprising turn of events, the lawmaker in a video flanked by Egbedun and the spokesperson to Governor Ademola Adeleke, Olawale Rasheed, announced that he was withdrawing the resignation letter.

Atanda who spoke in Yoruba Language did not state the reason for withdrawing the resignation letter.

However, OSUN DEFENDER reliably gathered that the lawmaker’s earlier resignation was about his return to the assembly in 2027.

Sources told OSUN DEFENDER that the lawmaker had been told that he would not be given the ticket to represent the constituency.

An impeccable source who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER on condition of anonymity said the former Secretary to the state government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, holds the ticket and had already told Atanda that he would not be returning to the assembly.

The source said the development led to the lawmaker’s earlier resignation, adding that he made a U-turn after weighing his options.

“The main reason for his earlier resignation was that he had been told that he would not be returning to the assembly in 2027. Adeleke has given Adeoti the ticket and the politician has told the lawmaker that he won’t be getting the ticket.

•How Pressure From Accord Leaders Forced Iwo Lawmaker To Withdraw Defection Letter

“Don’t forget that Adeoti was the one who nominated Atanda in 2023 but he felt that another person should go again this time.

“Hon. Atanda met with the speaker and some bigwigs to prevail on Adeoti to rescind his decision but he was told frankly that Adeoti has the structure of the Accord Party in Iwo and whatever he said was final,” the source told OSUN DEFENDER.

Meanwhile, one of the Personal Assistants to the lawmaker, Mr Adewale Adigun, has taken to social media to claim the video where his principal withdrew the resignation letter was done under pressure.

Adigun in a Facebook post wrote, “The video is under pressure and cannot stand the test of time. No going back.”

In another post, Adigun said it is either the Accord Party hands over the Iwo State Constituency ticket to Atanda or they move on.

Olamilekan Adigun

Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.