The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has disowned a petition challenging the outcome of the August 15, 2026 Osun State governorship election, declaring that the legal action was filed without the party’s knowledge, approval or authorisation.
The opposition party said it neither instituted, sponsored nor endorsed Election Petition No. EPT/OS/GOV/02/2026 before the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Osogbo.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, said the party had no connection with the petition and would not recognise it as an official proceeding instituted on its behalf.
Mohammed explained that under the PDP constitution, the authority to institute and conduct legal proceedings on behalf of the party rests with the National Legal Adviser.
He said the National Legal Adviser, A.K. Ajibade, SAN, neither authorised nor instructed any individual or lawyer to file the petition in the name of the PDP.
“The PDP did not authorise this petition. It is not our case,” Mohammed said.
He disclosed that the lawyer alleged to have filed the petition, Ochai Jacob Otokpa, Esq., had been challenged to produce evidence of the authority or mandate under which he purportedly acted for the party.
The PDP questioned who instructed the lawyer to institute the proceedings and the basis on which he assumed the authority to represent the party.
The party also said Adebayo Adedamola, popularly known as “Fryo,” who was purportedly presented as its candidate in the 2026 Osun governorship election, had distanced himself from the petition.
According to Mohammed, Adedamola said during an interview on TVC News on September 7 that he did not instruct or retain any lawyer to file a petition challenging the election result.
The development, the PDP said, raised questions over the circumstances surrounding the filing of the case.
“This further raises the fundamental question: On whose instructions was the petition filed?” the party asked.
Mohammed said the PDP Legal Department had commenced steps to formally remove the party’s name from the purported proceedings.
He stressed that the petition did not represent the PDP’s position on the outcome of the Osun governorship election.
“The party therefore completely disowns and dissociates itself from Election Petition No. EPT/OS/GOV/02/2026,” the PDP stated.
The party urged the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Accord Party, Governor Ademola Adeleke, security agencies, the media and members of the public to take note of its position.
It called on all concerned to disregard the petition and any representation suggesting that the legal action was an official PDP initiative.
The opposition party further demanded an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the preparation and filing of the petition.
It urged relevant authorities to take appropriate action against anyone found to have used the PDP’s name, identity or legal personality without authorisation.
The PDP warned that it would resist any attempt by individuals to appropriate its name or constitutional authority without a valid mandate from the party.
