RismadarVoice Reporters
September 8, 2026
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has filed a notice seeking to withdraw a controversial petition challenging the re-election of Governor Ademola Adeleke.
The development followed a dispute over the authenticity of the petition, after the APC disowned the document and said it was not authorised by the party’s leadership or its governorship candidate.
The Election Petition Tribunal in Osogbo on Monday displayed two petitions purportedly filed by the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), challenging the outcome of the August 15 governorship election.
The petitions, dated September 5, 2026, were pasted on the tribunal’s notice board, signalling the commencement of proceedings over disputes arising from the election.
However, the APC subsequently distanced itself from the petition attributed to the party.
A senior member of the party’s legal team, Dr Abiodun Layonu, SAN, said the petition did not originate from the legal team and was not authorised by the party leadership.
The APC campaign spokesperson, Remi Omowaye, also urged members of the public to disregard the document.
Amid the controversy, a lawyer, Mr Seyi Oyagbile, acknowledged filing the petition, saying he acted on the instruction of the APC deputy governorship candidate, Engr Benjamin Adereti.
Oyagbile also claimed that Adereti personally signed the petition before it was filed at the tribunal.
Following the controversy generated by the document, the lawyer on Tuesday filed a notice seeking its withdrawal.
A copy of the application, obtained on Tuesday, was dated September 8, 2026, and stamped as received by the tribunal secretariat the same day.
The petition lists Governor Adeleke, Accord and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as respondents, while Bola Oyebamiji and the APC are named as petitioners.
The notice, titled “Notice of Motion to Withdraw Petition,” seeks an order of the tribunal permitting the petitioner to withdraw the case.
The document stated that the application was based on the “decision of the petitioner” and was dated September 8, 2026.
