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Denial of Election Challenge Filed in His Name
Adebayo Adedamola, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for Osun State in the August 15 election, has explicitly denied filing any petition against Governor Ademola Adeleke. Speaking to TVC on Monday, Adedamola stated that neither he nor his legal counsel filed or authorized a case challenging the election outcome.
"There’s no petition filed by me or my counsel," Adedamola said. "So, I don’t know where they manufactured the petition they submitted at the tribunal." The candidate expressed confusion regarding the origin of the document that was displayed at the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Osogbo.
The denial followed the presentation of petitions at the tribunal earlier on Monday. Among the documents displayed was a petition marked EPT/OS/GOV/02/2026, which was reportedly filed in Adedamola’s name. The petition named Governor Ademola Adeleke, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the Accord Party as respondents.
Adedamola asserted that he had not instructed his lawyers to challenge the election result. He emphasized that he was unaware of any such legal action being taken on his behalf prior to its appearance at the tribunal.
Claims of Unauthorized Action and Lack of Communication
The PDP candidate reported receiving no communication from his lawyer or party leadership regarding any plan to challenge the governorship election outcome. Adedamola stated that he had not been informed of any strategy to file a petition against Adeleke.
"I don’t know where they manufactured the petition," he repeated, indicating that the document submitted at the tribunal was not authorized by him or his legal team. The candidate’s statement suggests that the petition filed in his name was created without his knowledge or consent.
Adedamola’s denial comes as the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal reviews challenges to the election results. The tribunal has received multiple petitions from various parties and individuals contesting the victory of Governor Adeleke.
The candidate’s assertion that he did not file a petition against Adeleke stands in contrast to the document displayed at the tribunal, which bears his name as the petitioner. Adedamola’s comments highlight a discrepancy between the official record at the tribunal and his own account of events.
Context of the August 15 Election and Tribunal Proceedings
The Osun State governorship election held on August 15 resulted in the victory of Governor Ademola Adeleke. Following the election, several petitions were filed at the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Osogbo to challenge the results.
One of these petitions, identified as EPT/OS/GOV/02/2026, was listed under Adedamola’s name. The petition challenged the victory of Adeleke and named INEC and the Accord Party as respondents. The filing of this petition in Adedamola’s name prompted his public denial.
Adedamola, representing the PDP, has maintained that he did not authorize the filing of any legal challenge against Adeleke. His statement to TVC on Monday serves as a formal disavowal of the petition displayed at the tribunal.
The candidate’s remarks were reported by Vanguard News on September 8, 2026. The publication noted that Adedamola’s denial was based on his lack of communication from his legal team and party leadership regarding any election challenge.
No response from Governor Adeleke or his legal team regarding Adedamola’s denial has been included in the available reports. The tribunal continues to process the petitions submitted against the election results.
Adedamola’s position remains that he is not a party to the petition filed in his name. He stated that he did not know how the document was manufactured or submitted to the tribunal without his authorization.
