Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has formally commenced the post-election legal process with the display of two separate petitions filed by the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party, both challenging the re-election of Governor Ademola Adeleke in the August 15, 2026 governorship election. The petitions, dated September 5, 2026, were pasted on the notice board of the tribunal secretariat in Osogbo on Monday, September 7, 2026, signaling the official commencement of the hearing disputes arising from the election that returned Adeleke for a second term in office.
The legal challenge comes just days after the Independent National Electoral Commission declared Adeleke, who contested on the platform of the Accord Party, the winner of the August 15 poll with 511,067 votes, defeating his closest challenger, APC candidate Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes. The APC petition, marked EPT/OS/GOV/01/2026, was filed by Oyebamiji against Governor Adeleke, the Accord Party, and INEC. The PDP's petition, numbered EPT/OS/GOV/02/2026, was filed by its governorship candidate, Adebayo Olugbenga Adedamola, against Adeleke, INEC, and the Accord Party.
Tribunal Secretary, Pefe Belemore, confirmed that petitions challenging the outcome of the election had been filed and that necessary notices would be displayed on the tribunal's notice board before noon on Monday. The display of the petitions is a procedural step that paves the way for the service of court processes on the respondents before substantive proceedings begin. According to Belemore, the tribunal is expected to hear the petitions in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act and other relevant laws governing election petitions.
The development came a day after reports indicated that no petition had been filed before the expiration of the 21-day period allowed by law for challenging the election outcome. A report by The PUNCH had said the tribunal had received no petition as the 21-day window closed on Saturday, quoting an unnamed member of the APC legal team as saying the party had grounds to challenge the election but decided against doing so "in the interest of peace." However, the latest development shows that both the APC and PDP have now formally approached the tribunal over the election outcome.
The detailed grounds upon which the APC and PDP are challenging the election result were not contained in the notices displayed by the tribunal. However, the display of the petitions formally brings the disputes before the tribunal, with both opposition parties seeking to overturn the election result that returned Adeleke for a second term. Officials of the Accord Party and their legal team were seen entering the court as preparations for proceedings got underway. Adeleke remains the declared winner of the August 15 election pending the determination of the petitions by the tribunal.
The legal challenge comes amid intensified political tensions in Osun State, where the governorship election was closely contested and marred by allegations of irregularities. As the tribunal prepares to hear the petitions, the legal battle over the Osun governorship election has now shifted to the courts, where the validity of Adeleke's re-election will be put to the test. The outcome of the petitions could have significant implications for the political landscape of Osun State and the broader South-West region, as the tribunal's decision will either uphold the people's will or trigger a political realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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