APC, PDP Challenge Adeleke’s Re-election as Osun Election Dispute Moves to Tribunal

The political battle over the outcome of the 2026 Osun State governorship election has moved into the courtroom, with the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party filing separate petitions challenging the re-election of Governor Ademola Adeleke.

The two petitions have now been formally displayed at the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Osogbo, setting the stage for a legal contest over the election that returned Adeleke for another term.

The development officially opens the post-election litigation process after the August 15 governorship poll, which saw Adeleke emerge victorious against his closest challenger, the APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji.

The tribunal’s Secretary, Pefe Belemore, confirmed that petitions challenging the election had been filed and that the required notices were being displayed at the tribunal’s secretariat.

The APC petition was filed by Oyebamiji and is registered as EPT/OS/GOV/01/2026. The respondents named in the case include Governor Adeleke, the Accord Party and the Independent National Electoral Commission.

A separate petition, registered as EPT/OS/GOV/02/2026, was filed by Adebayo Olugbenga Adedamola on behalf of the PDP. Adeleke, INEC and the Accord Party were also named as respondents in that matter.

The petitions were dated September 5, 2026, and their display at the tribunal marks the beginning of the formal process through which the parties will present their respective cases.

The legal challenge follows a closely watched election in which Adeleke secured 511,067 votes, while Oyebamiji polled 444,815 votes. The margin between the two leading candidates was 66,252 votes.

Adeleke contested the election under the Accord Party and was declared the winner after the final collation of results.

His victory gave him a second term as governor, but the declaration did not end the political contest surrounding the election.

The filing of the petitions means that the tribunal will now have to examine the grounds on which the challengers are disputing the result and determine whether the complaints are supported by sufficient evidence.

The parties will be expected to follow the procedures governing election petitions, including the exchange and service of relevant court processes, presentation of evidence and responses from the respondents.

For Adeleke, the development represents the beginning of another legal battle over his mandate, although the circumstances differ from the earlier dispute surrounding the 2022 Osun election.

The governor’s first election victory in 2022 was also challenged in court by the APC and its candidate at the time, Gboyega Oyetola. That dispute eventually reached the Supreme Court, which upheld Adeleke’s victory.

The latest petition therefore means that Osun is once again entering a familiar post-election legal process.

The state has a long history of election disputes, with previous governorship contests generating prolonged legal battles over results.

The current dispute is expected to attract considerable political attention because of the significance of Osun in the South-West and the increasingly competitive political environment ahead of the 2027 general election.

The APC’s challenge is particularly significant because Oyebamiji was Adeleke’s closest challenger in the election and the party has maintained its opposition to the result.

The PDP petition adds another dimension to the legal contest, placing the governor in a position where he will have to respond to separate challenges before the tribunal.

INEC is also a respondent in both matters, meaning the electoral commission will be required to defend the conduct of the election and the declaration of the results where necessary.

The Accord Party, under which Adeleke contested the election, is similarly involved in the proceedings.

The tribunal will ultimately consider the evidence and arguments presented by all sides before reaching a decision.

Filing a petition does not mean that the election result has been cancelled or that Adeleke has been removed from office.

Until a competent court or tribunal reaches a contrary decision and any applicable appeals are concluded, the governor remains the duly declared winner of the election.

The legal process is therefore expected to take place alongside the governor’s administration as he begins preparations for another term in office.

The dispute could, however, become politically significant if the petitioners succeed in establishing their claims before the tribunal.

Election tribunals have the authority to examine complaints relating to the conduct and outcome of governorship elections and can make decisions that may affect the result, subject to the established appeal process.

The parties challenging Adeleke’s victory will therefore need to provide evidence capable of supporting their respective claims.

The respondents, meanwhile, are expected to defend the election and argue that the result declared by INEC should stand.

The coming proceedings are likely to attract close attention from political parties, supporters and residents across Osun State.

The legal challenge also comes at a time when political activity is already beginning to intensify across Nigeria ahead of the 2027 elections.

Osun remains strategically important to political parties seeking influence in the South-West, making the outcome of the tribunal case potentially significant beyond the immediate dispute over the governorship.

For Adeleke and his supporters, the position remains that the governor won the election and should serve the second term for which he was returned.

For the petitioners, the tribunal now provides the constitutional avenue to challenge the result and seek judicial determination of their grievances.

The legal battle will therefore depend on evidence rather than political claims, with the tribunal expected to examine the petitions according to Nigeria’s electoral laws and established judicial procedures.

The immediate next steps will include the formal service of the petitions on the respondents and the commencement of the relevant proceedings.

As the case develops, attention will be focused on the specific grounds contained in the petitions, the evidence presented by the challengers, and the responses from Adeleke, INEC and the Accord Party.

For now, however, the election result remains intact.

The tribunal’s decision, and any subsequent appeals, will determine whether the August 15 result survives the legal challenge or whether any aspect of the election outcome is altered.

The latest development has effectively moved the battle for Osun State from the polling booths to the courtroom, setting the stage for another closely watched election dispute involving Governor Adeleke.