APC Legal Team Disowns Petition Challenging Adeleke’s Victory

The legal team of the All Progressives Congress in Osun State has disowned a petition purportedly filed by the party and its governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, challenging Governor Ademola Adeleke’s victory in the August 15 governorship election.

One of the leaders of the legal team, Adekunle Adegoke, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said the lawyers had advised Oyebamiji and party leaders against approaching the election petition tribunal after reviewing the outcome of the poll.

Adegoke said the decision followed consultations held shortly after the election results were announced. According to him, the legal team identified grounds that could have been used to challenge the result but concluded that litigation could further heighten tension in the state.

He explained that the lawyers wanted the APC to demonstrate that it was not interested in pursuing litigation simply for the sake of creating controversy or prolonging political tension.

Adegoke said the legal team presented its findings to Oyebamiji and other party leaders before the decision was reached. He added that the candidate subsequently accepted the advice and congratulated Adeleke.

The senior lawyer therefore questioned how Oyebamiji could have authorised a petition after willingly accepting the decision not to challenge the election and publicly congratulating the governor.

He said the legal team had formally distanced itself from documents filed by individuals claiming to be acting as APC lawyers, describing the petition as unauthorised by both the party and its candidate.

The development followed the display of notices of petitions at the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Osogbo on Monday.

The first petition, numbered EPT/Os/Gov/01/2026, listed Oyebamiji and the APC as petitioners, with Adeleke, the Accord Party and the Independent National Electoral Commission as respondents.

A second petition, numbered EPT/Os/Gov/02/2026, was filed by the Peoples Democratic Party against INEC, the Accord Party and Adeleke.

The APC legal team’s position contrasts with the earlier indication from the party after the election that it would consult its lawyers and consider available legal options.