Osun APC weighs legal opinion after gov’ship election

By Lateef Ibrahim

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has signaled that its defeat in the 2026 governorship election may not mark the end of the party’s battle, as it begins a detailed review of the results across the state.

The party said it is examining the results from all 332 wards before deciding whether to challenge the outcome in court.

The position was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the APC Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, following the declaration of the results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to the party, its ongoing review is aimed at determining whether there are sufficient grounds to invoke the constitutional provisions available to candidates and political parties dissatisfied with the conduct or outcome of an election.

“We are currently studying the results of the governorship election in each of the 332 wards across the state with a view to exploring further the allowed constitutional window of opportunity in this regard,” the APC said.

The statement suggests that the party is yet to concede the election as the final word on the matter, even though INEC has formally declared the result.

The APC stressed that the electoral process should not be viewed as ending with the announcement of results, pointing instead to the judicial avenues available to parties seeking to contest alleged irregularities.

It noted that the electoral process begins with voter registration and political party primaries and can extend through the Election Petition Tribunal, Court of Appeal and, ultimately, the Supreme Court.

“We are not unaware of the fact that election is a process which begins at the registration of voters through the primary election to the election proper, which extends to the Tribunal, the Appeal Court and terminates at the Supreme Court,” the party stated.

The development therefore leaves open the possibility of a legal battle over the Osun governorship election, depending on what emerges from the APC’s review of the polling-unit and ward-level results.

For now, the party has stopped short of announcing that it will definitely approach the tribunal, saying it is first scrutinizing the results and the circumstances surrounding the election before determining its next move.

The statement effectively places the focus on what the APC may uncover during its review and whether the findings will translate into a formal election petition.

With INEC’s declaration having triggered the next phase of the electoral dispute-resolution process, the coming days are expected to show whether the APC will accept the result or seek judicial intervention over alleged shortcomings in the conduct of the election.