Osun poll: APC files withdrawal notice over controversial petition

By Shina Abubakar The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Osun State has filed a notice of withdrawal before the Election Petition Tribunal against its controversial petition against Governor Ademola Adeleke's re-election. The tribunal had on Monday pasted a notice displaying two petitions purportedly filed by the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, challenging the re-election of Governor Adeleke. The petitions, which were dated September 5, 2026, were pasted on the notice board of the tribunal secretariat in Osogbo, formally commencing the process of hearing disputes arising from the August 15 governorship election in the state. However, the APC disowned the said petition as members of its legal team disclosed that neither the candidate nor the party leadership sanctioned the filed petition. A senior member of the team, Dr Abiodun Layonu, SAN, in a statement said the petition did not emanate from the team and was not authorised by the party leadership and the APC campaign spokesperson, Remi Omowaye, also urged the public to disregard the document before the tribunal. However, a legal practitioner, Mr Seyi Oyagbile, admitted to filing the said petition on the instruction of the deputy governorship candidate, Engr. Benjamin Adereti, who, he said, signed the document before the tribunal. Following the outrage that trailed the petition, Oyagbile on Tuesday filed a notice of motion to withdraw the petition. The application's copy, which Vanguard obtained, is dated September 8 and also stamped and received by the tribunal secretariat on the same date. The document, which listed Governor Ademola Adeleke, Accord and the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC as respondents, has Mr Bola Oyebamiji and the All Progressives Congress APC as petitioners. The notice reads partly, 'NOTICE OF MOTION TO WITHDRAW PETITION 'TAKE NOTICE that this Honourable Tribunal/Court will be moved on……….the…………… day of…..20… at the hour of 9 o'clock in the forenoon or as soon thereafter as the Petitioner or Counsel on his behalf can be heard praying the Tribunal/Court for an order enabling the Petitioner to withdraw the above petition on the following ground (s): 'DECISION OF PETITIONER 'Dated….this 8th day of September 2026.'