Osun State politics has entered a fresh post-election phase as the All Progressives Congress (APC) says it will not rush to congratulate Governor Ademola Adeleke following his victory in the August 15, 2026 governorship election.
The position was disclosed by the Director-General of the APC governorship campaign in Osun State, Oluwole Oke, who said the party is currently reviewing the election results and the overall electoral process before deciding on its next move.
According to Oke, the APC does not accept the declaration made by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and believes that Adeleke did not secure the highest number of valid votes. The party has therefore begun an internal audit of the election and is collecting result sheets from its agents across the state.
APC Begins Review of Osun Election Results
The APC campaign leadership says it has instructed its agents to submit copies of Forms EC8A, EC8B and EC8C for examination.
The documents will allow the party to compare results recorded at polling units and wards with the figures eventually announced by INEC.
Oke said the party would not be pressured into making a political decision before completing its assessment of the election. He explained that the campaign organisation was directly involved in the process and needed to establish the facts before determining its position.
The APC's Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, also disclosed that the party was studying results from all 332 wards in Osun State.
What INEC Declared
INEC declared Ademola Adeleke the winner of the Osun governorship election after he secured 511,067 votes.
The APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, polled 444,815 votes, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Najeem Salaam, recorded 17,180 votes.
Adeleke won in 19 local government areas, while Oyebamiji secured 11. The result gave the incumbent governor a margin of 66,252 votes over his closest challenger.
Although the electoral commission has declared the result, the APC says its internal review must be completed before the party reaches a final position.
Adeleke Expects Congratulations
Following his declaration as winner, Governor Adeleke said he expected Bola Oyebamiji to contact him and congratulate him on the outcome.
Adeleke described congratulating the winner as the “civilised thing to do.”
However, the APC campaign team has rejected any suggestion that it should immediately concede, maintaining that it first wants to examine the election materials and determine whether the process complied with the relevant electoral laws.
APC May Explore Legal Options
The party's review could have important consequences for the next stage of the Osun election 2026.
Oke said the APC would consult its legal team after completing the assessment. If the party discovers what it considers significant irregularities, it could explore the legal avenues provided under Nigeria's Electoral Act.
The APC campaign leadership has also indicated that its review will not be restricted to election-day results. It intends to examine aspects of the pre-election process and the conduct of the poll against the provisions of the law.
This means the political battle over the Osun poll results could continue beyond the declaration made by INEC.
Tinubu Has Already Congratulated Adeleke
The development has also highlighted an interesting difference between the position of President Bola Tinubu and that of the APC campaign team in Osun.
President Tinubu had congratulated Adeleke after INEC declared him the winner of the election.
Oke, however, maintained that the position of the President should be distinguished from that of the campaign organisation, which was directly involved in the contest and is currently assessing what happened at the grassroots.
The difference demonstrates the various political considerations that can emerge following a closely contested election, particularly when a political party believes that questions surrounding the results require further examination.
Why the Osun Election Matters
The Osun governorship election is significant beyond the immediate contest between Adeleke and Oyebamiji.
Osun remains an important political state in the South-West, and the outcome of the election could influence the strategies of major political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
For the APC, the election provides an opportunity to assess its campaign structure, voter mobilisation strategy and political strength across the state.
For Adeleke and his supporters, the result provides another mandate to continue with the administration's programme and consolidate political support across Osun.
Post-Election Politics and 2027
The political significance of the Osun result is likely to become clearer as Nigeria approaches the 2027 elections.
Political parties are already positioning themselves for the next general elections, and developments in states such as Osun could provide important lessons for campaign organisations, opposition parties and voters.
The APC's decision to audit the election also highlights the growing importance of result documentation in Nigeria's electoral process. Polling-unit result sheets, ward-level records and electronic result transmission have become increasingly important in determining whether parties accept or challenge election outcomes.
For voters, the controversy reinforces the importance of credible elections and transparent processes. For political parties, it demonstrates the need to maintain accurate records and strong structures at every level of the electoral process.
What Happens Next?
The immediate focus is now on the APC's review of the election results.
If the party concludes that the election was substantially credible and that there are insufficient grounds for a legal challenge, it may eventually accept the result and congratulate Adeleke.
However, if its review identifies substantial discrepancies or alleged violations, the party could seek legal redress through the appropriate electoral dispute-resolution process.
Until then, the APC says it will not be rushed into congratulating the governor.
The development means that while INEC has formally declared Adeleke the winner, the political conversation surrounding the Osun election results remains active.
As the APC completes its audit and consults its lawyers, political observers will be watching closely to see whether the party accepts the outcome or takes the matter further.
For now, Governor Adeleke has the declared mandate, while the APC is insisting on a thorough examination of the process before making its final decision.
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