From ballot box to courtroom: Osun APC prepares legal challenge to Adeleke victory

Every Osun election since 2003 has ended in court — 2026 may be no different

Adeleke may have won the ballot — but the Osun APC is signalling the battle is far from over.

The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress said on Sunday it was studying the results of the governorship election across all 332 wards before deciding its next line of action, stating that “an election cannot be said to have been concluded without having explored all these constitutionally allowed legal opportunities,” according to the Peoples Gazette.

In a statement signed by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, the APC said it was examining results with a view to exploring the constitutional window available to challenge issues arising from the electoral process, adding it would consult its legal team before deciding whether to pursue further action under the Electoral Act 2026.

The party urged its supporters to remain calm, avoid provocative actions and assured them that “it is not over until it is over,” while also calling on the Nigeria Police Force to protect APC members allegedly being targeted by supporters of the ruling Accord Party.

The development follows a well-worn pattern in Osun politics. Every governorship election in the state since 2003 has ended in a legal challenge, including the 2022 election in which Adeleke’s first victory was initially overturned by a tribunal before being restored by the Court of Appeal and affirmed by the Supreme Court.