Osun 2026: APC Members Disown Petition Challenging Adeleke’s Victory

Confusion has trailed the legal challenge to the August 15, 2026, Osun State governorship election, as members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), including senior members of the party’s legal team, have disowned a petition purportedly filed by the party and its governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, against Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election.

The controversy erupted on monday following the display of two election petitions at the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal Secretariat in Osogbo.

The petitions, dated September 5, 2026, listed Oyebamiji and another petitioner, Adebayo Olugbenga Adedamola, as challengers to the outcome of the election.

However, members of the APC legal team said the petition purportedly filed by Oyebamiji and the party did not receive the authorisation of either the APC leadership or the governorship candidate.

The development has thrown fresh uncertainty into the post-election legal process, particularly as the tribunal has commenced preparations for the hearing of petitions arising from the election.

The tribunal’s Secretary, Pefe Belemore, had confirmed that petitions challenging the election had been filed.

The petition numbered EPT/OS/GOV/01/2026 was purportedly filed by Oyebamiji and the APC against Adeleke, the Accord Party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The second petition, EPT/OS/GOV/02/2026, was filed by Adedamola against Adeleke, INEC and the Accord Party.

But speaking on the development, a member of the APC legal team, Barrister Muideen Adeoye, categorically denied knowledge of the petition attributed to the party and its candidate.

Adeoye said the APC legal team had reached an understanding with the party hierarchy not to challenge the election at the tribunal.

He said any petition filed in the name of the APC and Oyebamiji was therefore not authorised by the party leadership.

«“We did not file any petition, either for the candidate or the party. The said petition may have emanated from some persons within the party, but it is without the permission of the leadership.”»

Adeoye also expressed surprise that a notice relating to the purported petition had been displayed at the tribunal secretariat.

«“The legal team, in conjunction with the party hierarchy, agreed not to file any petition and we did not file any.»

«“I am also aware that notice of petition was pasted at the tribunal today. That is strange, and I repeat, we did not file the said petition.”»

Another senior member of the APC legal team, Dr Abiodun Layonu, SAN, also disowned the purported petition.

Layonu described the development as shocking, stressing that neither Oyebamiji nor the APC had authorised the legal action.

He urged APC members and members of the public to disregard the petition, insisting that it did not emanate from the party’s legal team.

The controversy followed the declaration of Adeleke as the winner of the August 15 governorship election, with the governor defeating Oyebamiji and other candidates in the poll.

Meanwhile, the Accord Party said it was not disturbed by the development, maintaining that any aggrieved candidate or political party had the right to seek judicial redress.

The party’s Osun State Chairman, Victor Akande, said approaching the tribunal was preferable to taking actions capable of threatening peace in the state.

Akande, however, expressed concern over the growing tendency to seek to determine election outcomes through litigation rather than at the polling booths.

«“It is better to approach the tribunal than taking laws into their hands by disrupting peace and other things.»

«“I believe our election should end at the poll; the court should not be deciding the winners of elections.”»

The Accord chairman said the party and its candidate remained confident of their victory and would defend their mandate if the matter eventually proceeded before the tribunal.

The conflicting positions have raised questions over the identity of those behind the petition filed in the name of the APC and Oyebamiji, as well as whether they had the authority to institute the action.

As of Monday, officials of the Accord Party and members of its legal team were seen at the tribunal secretariat as preparations for the election petition proceedings continued.