Osun APC withdraws petition against Adeleke after legal team disowns suit

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has withdrawn its petition challenging the re-election of Governor Ademola Adeleke, barely a day after members of the party’s legal team disowned the suit.

The petition was withdrawn on Tuesday by Oluseyi Oyagbile, the lawyer who filed it, following fresh instructions from the APC and its leaders.

Oyagbile said he received messages from his client and party leaders directing him to withdraw the petition, which had been displayed at the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Osogbo on Monday.

“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 I have withdrawn the petition,” he said.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 before withdrawing the case to avoid further controversy.

Kola Olabisi, spokesperson for the Osun APC, also confirmed the withdrawal, saying the petition had indeed been withdrawn.

The petition, marked EPT/OS/GOV/01/2026, listed Bola Oyebamiji, the APC governorship candidate, and the party as petitioners. Governor Adeleke, Accord and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were named as respondents.

The development followed 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 earlier said the lawyers did not authorise any petition challenging Adeleke’s victory.

Adegoke said the legal team, led by Abiodun Layoonu, Yomi Aliyu, himself and Muritala Abdulrasheed, had advised Oyebamiji against approaching the tribunal after the August 15 governorship election.

According to him, the lawyers believed it was best for the APC candidate not to challenge the election at the tribunal.

Adegoke further described the petition displayed at the tribunal as a document filed by individuals “masquerading as APC lawyers”, insisting that it was not authorised by either the party or its candidate.

The APC’s withdrawal came amid a separate development involving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Adebayo Adedamola, who also disowned a petition filed in his name challenging Adeleke’s victory.

Adeleke was declared winner of the August 15 governorship election after polling 511,067 votes.