APC and PDP have challenged Governor Ademola Adeleke’s victory in the 2026 Osun governorship election as separate petitions reach the election tribunal.
The political battle over the outcome of the 2026 Osun State governorship election has moved to the courtroom, following separate petitions filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging the conduct and outcome of the poll.
The development has opened a fresh chapter in the political contest in the state, barely weeks after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the results and declared Governor Ademola Adeleke the winner of the election.
The petitions were displayed at the premises of the Election Petition Tribunal sitting at the State High Court in Osogbo on Monday, formally bringing the disputes before the judicial panel constituted to determine election-related grievances.
One of the petitions was filed by Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, the APC governorship candidate, alongside his party. The respondents named in the case are Governor Adeleke and INEC.
Oyebamiji and the APC stated that they were dissatisfied with the declaration and return of Adeleke as the winner of the August 15, 2026 governorship election.
The petition, identified as EPT/OS/GOV/01/2026, was filed under several provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026, including Sections 134, 137, 138, 139, 140, 143 and 149, together with the First Schedule to the legislation.
A Certified True Copy of the document, dated September 5, 2026, was obtained by our correspondent on Monday.
In the petition, Oyebamiji was described as an adult Nigerian citizen who contested the Osun governorship election as the candidate of the APC.
The petitioners maintained that their decision to approach the tribunal followed their dissatisfaction with the declaration of Adeleke as the successful candidate.
The document stated in part that the petitioner, being dissatisfied with the declaration and return of the first respondent as winner of the governorship election held on August 15, had presented the petition before the tribunal.
The legal challenge by the APC is, however, not the only dispute arising from the election.
The PDP has also taken the election before the tribunal, with the party challenging the process and outcome in a separate petition.
In its case, the PDP listed INEC, the Accord Party and Senator Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke as respondents.
The party identified itself in the petition as a political organisation duly registered in Nigeria and explained its participation in the election.
According to the document, the PDP sponsored Adebayo Olugbenga Adedamola as its candidate for the Osun State governorship election held on August 15, 2026.
The PDP petition was also dated September 5, 2026 and marked EPT/OS/GOV/01/2026.
The party’s legal challenge comes against the backdrop of an unusual development during the election in which the PDP logo was conspicuously missing from the ballot paper used for the governorship poll.
The absence of the party’s logo has become a significant point of interest in the aftermath of the election, particularly because the PDP had identified and sponsored a candidate for the contest.
The legal proceedings could therefore provide an avenue for the affected parties to present their respective arguments and evidence before the tribunal.
Meanwhile, the official result announced after the election placed Adeleke ahead of his closest challenger, Oyebamiji of the APC.
Adeleke, who contested the election under the platform of the Accord Party, secured a total of 511,067 votes to emerge as the candidate with the highest number of votes.
Prof. Joshua Ogunwole, who served as the Returning Officer, formally declared Adeleke the winner of the governorship election.
Oyebamiji finished second after receiving 444,815 votes, putting him 66,252 votes behind Adeleke based on the declared figures.
The ADC candidate, Hon. Najeem Salaam, came third with 17,180 votes.
The results have since triggered political and legal reactions, with the competing parties now seeking judicial intervention over issues arising from the election.
For the APC, the petition represents an attempt to challenge Adeleke’s return and seek relief through the electoral justice system. The PDP’s case, meanwhile, introduces another layer to the dispute, particularly in view of the circumstances surrounding the appearance of party symbols on the ballot.
The tribunal will now be expected to consider the petitions filed by the aggrieved parties and the responses of the respondents before determining the issues raised.
Election petitions are generally determined on the basis of the evidence and legal arguments presented by the parties involved. As the Osun proceedings progress, attention will focus on the specific grounds relied upon by the APC and PDP, the evidence they present and the responses from Adeleke, Accord Party and INEC.
The latest development means that the political contest in Osun is far from over despite the announcement of a winner at the polling stage.
While Adeleke currently remains the declared winner of the August 15 election, the petitions before the tribunal have placed his victory under judicial scrutiny.
The eventual decision of the tribunal could therefore have important implications for the political direction of Osun State and the future of the parties involved in the dispute.
Until the tribunal delivers its judgment, the result announced by INEC remains the official outcome of the election, with the petitioners expected to prove the grounds of their respective challenges before the court.
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