By Stephen Simon
The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Osun State has disowned a petition challenging Governor Ademola Adeleke’s victory in the August 15 governorship election, saying neither the party nor its candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, authorised the legal action.
The controversy followed the appearance of a petition at the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Osogbo, reportedly challenging the outcome of the election won by Adeleke.
The development immediately generated political tension in the state, with reports suggesting that the APC and its candidate had commenced legal proceedings to overturn Adeleke’s victory.
However, the APC Governorship Campaign Council has now rejected the claim.
In a statement issued by its Head of Media and Publicity, Oluremi Omowaiye, the council described reports linking the party and Oyebamiji to the petition as false and mischievous.
The council maintained that neither the APC, its governorship candidate nor the campaign organisation filed the petition before the tribunal.
The clarification is significant because an election petition challenging Adeleke’s victory would have opened another legal battle following the closely watched August 15 poll.
The governor secured re-election at the election, but the emergence of a petition at the tribunal had raised expectations of another round of political and legal contest.
The APC’s latest position now raises questions about who filed the petition and whether the person or group behind it has any legal connection with the party or its candidate.
The development also places the Osun election dispute under renewed scrutiny as political parties begin positioning themselves for the 2027 general elections.
For now, however, the APC has made its position clear: it says it did not authorise the petition reportedly challenging Adeleke’s victory.
