The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the August 15 Osun State election, Adebayo Adedamola, has denied filing a petition challenging Governor Ademola Adeleke’s victory at the election tribunal.
Adedamola said neither he nor his lawyer authorized any legal action against Adeleke, despite a petition bearing his name being presented before the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Osogbo.
The petition, identified as EPT/OS/GOV/02/2026, reportedly lists Adeleke, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Accord Party among the respondents.
Speaking in an interview on Monday, Adedamola said he was unaware of the petition and had not instructed his counsel to commence proceedings against the governor.
He questioned how the document came to be submitted in his name, insisting that no decision had been taken by him, his legal team or the PDP to challenge the election result.
“There’s no petition filed by me or my counsel,” Adedamola said, according to the interview cited by Vanguard.
The PDP candidate also said he had not received any communication from his lawyer or the party leadership suggesting that a post-election legal challenge was being considered.
According to him, there had been no meeting at which a decision was reached to contest Adeleke’s victory before the tribunal.
Adedamola further questioned the basis for attributing the petition to him, given his position before and during the election.
He recalled that the PDP had publicly expressed support for Adeleke shortly before the August 15 poll, saying the party held a press conference on August 13 to back the governor’s candidacy.
He added that he personally voted for Adeleke, who contested the election on the platform of the Accord Party.
Adedamola therefore said he could not understand why his name would be attached to a petition seeking to challenge the governor’s victory.
The development comes amid legal activities surrounding the outcome of the Osun governorship election, with petitions being presented before the election tribunal following the poll.
Adedamola’s denial raises questions about the origin of the petition filed in his name and whether the document was submitted with his knowledge or authorization.
The tribunal is expected to determine the status of petitions brought before it in accordance with the applicable electoral laws and procedures.
The controversy also adds another dimension to political developments in Osun State, where the outcome of the governorship election remains a major issue among political parties and their supporters.
For now, Adedamola has maintained that he did not institute any case against Adeleke and that neither he nor his counsel authorized such a petition.
