• Legal team says Oyebamiji, APC never authorised tribunal case
• Adegoke: We chose peace despite grounds to challenge election
• Petition filed by ‘individuals masquerading as APC lawyers’ — SAN
The legal team of the All Progressives Congress in Osun State has disowned a petition purportedly filed by the party and its governorship candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, challenging the victory of Governor Ademola Adeleke in the August 15 governorship election.
One of the leaders of the APC legal team, Adekunle Adegoke (SAN), said on Monday that neither the party nor Oyebamiji authorised the petition reportedly filed before the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.
Adegoke, who spoke with PUNCH Online, said the legal team met with Oyebamiji and other party leaders shortly after the election results were announced and advised against going to the tribunal.
According to him, the decision was reached after consultations and was driven by the need to de-escalate political tension and allow peace to prevail in Osun State.
He said the legal team, comprising several Senior Advocates of Nigeria and other legal experts, had identified areas of the election that could potentially be challenged but deliberately chose not to pursue litigation.
Adegoke said, “There are valid grounds to challenge the result of the election, and we decided to let the populace rest.”
He explained that the decision was not an admission that the election was entirely free of irregularities, but a conscious choice to prioritise peace.
The lawyer said the team did not want the APC to be perceived as a party interested in endless litigation or creating political tension.
‘Oyebamiji congratulated Adeleke’
Adegoke further argued that Oyebamiji’s decision to congratulate Adeleke after the election made it inconsistent for him to subsequently authorise a petition challenging the result.
He said Oyebamiji willingly congratulated Adeleke without pressure or duress after consultations with the legal team.
He therefore questioned the legitimacy of any petition purportedly authorised by the APC candidate.
Adegoke described the document reportedly filed before the tribunal as lacking the authority of both the party and its candidate.
“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,” he said.
The legal team leader said the APC had decided to allow the new administration to settle down rather than pursue another prolonged legal battle over the election.
Conflicting petitions emerge
The development followed reports that petitions had been filed at the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal challenging the outcome of the August 15 poll.
Notices displayed on the tribunal’s notice board in Osogbo indicated two petitions, with one purportedly filed by Oyebamiji and the APC.
The first petition, numbered EPT/Os/Gov/01/2026, listed Oyebamiji and the APC as petitioners, while Adeleke, the Accord Party and the Independent National Electoral Commission were named as respondents.
The second petition, numbered EPT/Os/Gov/02/2026, listed the Peoples Democratic Party as petitioner, with INEC, the Accord Party and Adeleke as respondents.
The notices were signed by the Tribunal Secretary, Belemo Diete-Spiff.
The APC legal team’s rejection of the first petition now raises questions over the authority behind the document and who instructed the lawyers who filed it.
Adegoke maintained that the APC legal team had taken its decision after reviewing the election and consulting with the party’s candidate and relevant stakeholders.
He said the decision was ultimately aimed at reducing tension and allowing political activities in the state to proceed peacefully.
