The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has withdrawn its petition challenging the re-election of Governor Ademola Adeleke, barely a day after the party’s legal team disowned the suit.
The petition was withdrawn on Tuesday after the lawyer who filed it, Oluseyi Oyagbile, said he received fresh instructions from his client and APC leaders.
Oyagbile said the withdrawal was carried out after the party and its leaders contacted him and directed him to discontinue the case.
“My client and leaders of APC reached out to me this morning to withdraw the petition I filed on their behalf. I have withdrawn the petition,” he said.
He added that he requested written instructions through WhatsApp to avoid further controversy over the matter.
APC Confirms Withdrawal
Kola Olabisi, spokesperson for the Osun APC, confirmed the withdrawal of the petition.
Olabisi said although he was not part of the party’s legal team, the petition had indeed been withdrawn.
The petition, marked EPT/OS/GOV/01/2026, was displayed on the notice board of the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Osogbo on Monday.
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It listed APC governorship candidate Bola Oyebamiji and the party as petitioners, while Adeleke, Accord and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were named as respondents.
Legal Team Disowns Petition
The withdrawal followed a disagreement within the APC over whether the petition had been authorised by the party and its candidate.
Adekunle Adegoke, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and member of the APC legal team, had on Monday said the lawyers did not authorise any petition challenging Adeleke’s victory.
Adegoke said the legal team, led by senior advocates including Abiodun Layoonu, Yomi Aliyu, Muritala Abdulrasheed and himself, had advised Oyebamiji not to approach the tribunal after the August 15 election.
He described the petition displayed at the tribunal as a document filed by individuals who were not authorised to represent the APC in the matter.
“I want to be on record that the APC legal team has denounced the bundle of papers filed by some individuals masquerading as APC lawyers. It was not authorised by APC as a party or its candidate,” Adegoke said.
PDP Candidate Also Disowns Petition
The development came alongside a separate denial by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate Adebayo Adedamola, who also disowned a petition filed in his name challenging Adeleke’s victory.
Adeleke was declared the winner of the August 15 governorship election after polling 511,067 votes.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.