APC, PDP Challenge Adeleke’s Re-election at Osun Tribunal

The political battle over the 2026 Osun State governorship election has moved to the courtroom, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) filing separate petitions against Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election.

The two petitions were displayed on Monday, September 7, at the notice board of the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Osogbo, formally setting the legal process in motion.

The petitions, dated September 5, were confirmed by the Secretary of the tribunal, Pefe Belemore, who said the necessary notices would be displayed to pave the way for the next stage of proceedings. (Vanguard News⁠)

The APC petition, numbered EPT/OS/GOV/01/2026, was filed by the party’s governorship candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji. Governor Adeleke, the Accord Party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were listed as respondents.

The PDP also filed a separate petition, EPT/OS/GOV/02/2026, through its candidate, Adebayo Olugbenga Adedamola, with Adeleke, INEC and the Accord Party named as respondents. (Vanguard News⁠)

Adeleke, who contested the August 15 election on the platform of the Accord Party, was declared the winner by INEC with 511,067 votes, defeating Oyebamiji of the APC, who recorded 444,815 votes. (Premium Times Nigeria⁠)

The filing of the petitions means the governor’s re-election will now face judicial scrutiny as the opposition parties seek to challenge the outcome of the poll.

The tribunal is expected to proceed with the service of court processes on the respondents before subsequent pre-hearing and substantive proceedings begin. The specific grounds being relied upon by the petitioners were not immediately made public in the reports announcing the filing.