Drama As APC Denies Filing Petition Against Adeleke’s Victory

Confusion emerged on Monday over a petition displayed at the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal challenging Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election, after the All Progressives Congress (APC) denied authorising the case filed in its name.

Naija News had earlier reported that the tribunal secretariat in Osogbo displayed two petitions dated September 5, 2026, arising from the August 15 governorship election, including one purportedly instituted by the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji.

However, lawyers representing the opposition party said neither Oyebamiji nor the APC leadership approved the petition, describing its appearance at the tribunal as strange.

The controversy came after the tribunal secretary, Pefe Belemore, confirmed that petitions relating to the election had been received.

When the tribunal secretariat was visited on Monday, Belemore and other officials were in the courtroom preparing for proceedings.

The first petition, marked EPT/OS/GOV/01/2026, bore the names of Oyebamiji and the APC as petitioners, with Adeleke, the Accord Party and the Independent National Electoral Commission listed as respondents.

A second petition, EPT/OS/GOV/02/2026, was filed by Adebayo Olugbenga Adedamola against Adeleke, INEC and Accord.

Accord officials and members of the party’s legal team were also seen at the tribunal.

A member of the APC legal team, Muideen Adeoye, denied that the party’s lawyers were responsible for the petition.

Adeoye said the legal team and the party leadership had previously agreed not to challenge the election outcome at the tribunal.

He said, “I am telling you authoritatively that 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.

“As I am speaking with you, 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 (Monday). That is strange, and I repeat, we did not file the said petition.”

Another senior member of the APC legal team, Abiodun Layonu (SAN), separately disowned the case.

In a statement titled, “Re: APC Challenge Gubernatorial Election at Tribunal,” Layonu said the candidate, party and lawyers were surprised to discover documents purporting to challenge Adeleke’s victory on their behalf.

The statement reads, “The attention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) legal team has been drawn to a bundle of papers purportedly referred to as Election Petition purportedly filed on behalf of Bola Oyebamiji and APC.

“Our clients and the entire legal team were shocked to read the purported petition, as neither the candidate nor the party authorised the filing of same.

“We hereby denounce in absolute terms the purported petition filed in the name of APC and its gubernatorial candidate.”

The lawyer urged APC supporters and members of the public to disregard the documents, insisting that they did not originate from the party’s recognised legal representatives.

Meanwhile, Osun Accord Chairman, Victor Akande, said the ruling party was not worried about the legal developments surrounding the election.

Akande said any aggrieved candidate or political party had the constitutional right to approach the tribunal, arguing that litigation was preferable to actions capable of threatening public peace.

He said, “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.

“However, it is within their right and I respect that. We are sure that our party and the candidate won the election convincingly and if they have doubt, it will be cleared at the tribunal.”

Recall that Adeleke was declared the winner of the August 15 governorship election after polling 511,067 votes, ahead of Oyebamiji, who secured 444,815 votes.