The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has officially directed its members to vote for Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party in Saturday’s Osun State governorship election, even after the Court of Appeal upheld the nomination of its own candidate, Adebayo Olugbenga Adedamola.

The party announced the decision on Thursday in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of its Interim National Working Committee, Ini Ememobong. The endorsement comes just one day before the August 15 poll and follows the withdrawal of the PDP’s candidate from the race on Wednesday.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Wednesday upheld Adedamola’s nomination and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to include the PDP logo on the ballot. The court held that the party had conducted a governorship primary monitored by INEC and forwarded the winner’s name to the commission, and that the access code for the nomination portal was merely an administrative formality.

Despite the ruling, the PDP said the judgment came too late for its candidate to campaign effectively. “Though justice has finally been done, in this case the grant of justice is akin to a denial as there is no opportunity for our candidate to undertake campaigns in preparation for the elections,” the party stated. The PDP accused INEC of bias, alleging the commission deliberately withheld nomination access codes and refused to recognise its candidate.

“Faced with the unimaginable difficulty that this situation puts on us, the Interim National Working Committee has chosen not to throw its hands up in defeat,” the party said. The PDP described Adeleke, who previously left the party, as a former member and said the decision followed consultations with key stakeholders. “We therefore ask all our members to vote for Governor Adeleke,” the party added.

The PDP also called on its supporters to defend their votes and reject violence. “Elections must be a true reflection of the people’s wish, freely expressed through the ballot. Anything short of that is robbery and must not be allowed to stand,” the party stated.