PDP rejects Adeleke petition as unauthorised, while its Osun candidate denies filing the case challenging Governor Ademola Adeleke’s victory
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, rejected a purported petition challenging Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke’s victory in the August 15 governorship election.
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The dispute emerged in Osogbo after two separate petitions were displayed at the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, with one appearing to have been filed in the name of the PDP.
The disputed petition, numbered EPT/OS/GOV/02/2026, listed Adebayo Adedamola, the PDP’s governorship candidate, as the petitioner. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Accord Party and Governor Adeleke were named as respondents.
However, the PDP has firmly distanced itself from the case.
In a statement signed by Mohammed, the party described the petition as “unauthorised, misleading and without the prior knowledge of the party”.
The PDP said legal actions involving the party must receive the approval of its National Legal Adviser, adding that the lawyer who filed the disputed petition had no mandate to represent the party.
The party’s position was further reinforced by Adedamola, who denied authorising any legal challenge against Adeleke’s victory.
According to the PDP, Adedamola said in an interview that he had no reason to challenge the result and that he personally voted for Adeleke during the election.
The party has now called on the relevant authorities to investigate how the petition came to be filed in its name.
It also warned that anyone found to have impersonated the PDP, its officials or authorised legal representatives would face legal action.
The controversy comes amid wider uncertainty over legal challenges to the August 15 election.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, had also filed a petition challenging Adeleke’s victory.
However, Oyebamiji’s counsel subsequently filed a notice seeking to withdraw the case.
The APC’s legal team had earlier said it did not intend to challenge the election outcome, citing the need to de-escalate political tensions and allow peace to prevail in Osun State.
INEC declared Adeleke the winner of the election, after which the governor received his Certificate of Return.
The PDP’s rejection of the disputed petition therefore removes the party from the legal challenge while raising fresh questions about who authorised the filing and why its candidate’s name appeared on the case.
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For the party, the immediate priority is to protect its identity and establish accountability for what it considers a serious misuse of its name.
