High Stakes: Osun Tribunal Unveils Explosive Petition Against Adeleke!
The Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has confirmed two petitions challenging Governor Ademola Adeleke's re-election, despite earlier reports to the contrary. Filed by the APC and a PDP aspirant, these petitions against Adeleke, INEC, and the Accord Party pave the way for legal proceedings following the August 16, 2026, election declaration.
Contrary to earlier widespread reports suggesting an absence of legal challenges, the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has officially confirmed the filing of two separate petitions against the declared re-election of Governor Ademola Adeleke. These petitions were prominently displayed on the notice board located at the premises of the Osun State High Court in Okefia, Osogbo, for public viewing on Monday afternoon, as sighted by LEADERSHIP.
This revelation comes after Governor Ademola Adeleke had previously chosen to reserve his comments regarding the viral reports that indicated no political party had filed a petition challenging the election victory, which was formally declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on August 16, 2026. The official display of these petitions by the tribunal is a critical development, setting the stage for the formal service of legal processes on the involved parties and the subsequent commencement of judicial proceedings before the tribunal.
The first petition, formally marked EPT/OS/GOV/01/2026, was lodged by the All Progressives Congress (APC) through its candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji. This petition names Governor Ademola Adeleke, the Accord Party, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the key respondents against whom the challenge is brought.
A second petition, identified by the mark EPT/OS/GOV/02/2026, was filed by Adebayo Olugbenga Adedamola, an aspirant representing a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In this petition, Adeleke, INEC, and the Accord Party are similarly listed as respondents. It is noteworthy that Adedamola, despite not being among the 15 candidates officially enlisted to contest the election, had later declared his support for the candidature of the APC's Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji.
Adding a layer of complexity to the political landscape, it is recalled that Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, the candidate for the All Progressives Congress who filed one of the petitions, had earlier extended his congratulations to Governor Ademola Adeleke on his re-election. The emergence of these petitions signifies a shift from previous assumptions and indicates that the legality of Governor Adeleke's declared second term victory will now be subjected to judicial scrutiny.