In a dramatic and defiant electoral showdown, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has secured a landslide victory, sweeping all 30 local government areas (LGAs) in Osun State. The announcement was made on Saturday by the Chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), Hashim Abioye, despite mounting opposition from security agencies and the federal government.
The election, marred by political tension, legal battles, and deadly violence, went ahead against the warnings of the police and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi. The AGF had urged the Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, to halt the elections, citing a recent Court of Appeal ruling in Akure that invalidated an earlier judgment by the Federal High Court in Osogbo. According to Fagbemi, the appellate court’s decision meant that previously sacked All Progressives Congress (APC) local government chairmen had been reinstated, making the election illegitimate.
Despite the federal government’s stance, OSSIEC proceeded with the poll, which began as early as 8 a.m. on Saturday across the state, including in Ede North LGA, where Governor Adeleke cast his vote. Speaking after voting, Adeleke hailed the process as peaceful and urged citizens to maintain order.
> “The process has been very peaceful. I made a broadcast to my good people of Osun State that this election should be peaceful—there should be no violence because Osun State is a very peaceful state,” Adeleke said.
However, the election commission chairman, Hashim Abioye, accused the police of attempting to sabotage the exercise. According to him, security forces sealed the OSSIEC headquarters in Osogbo and arrested some personnel, forcing the commission to relocate to an undisclosed location to conduct its constitutional duty.
Tensions over control of local government councils in Osun escalated into deadly clashes between APC and PDP supporters, leaving at least six people dead since Monday. The unrest, fueled by the disputed legality of the elections, turned parts of the state into battlegrounds, with accusations flying between rival political camps.
Governor Adeleke had earlier sounded the alarm, accusing APC members, backed by security agencies, of attempting to hijack council secretariats. He also called on President Bola Tinubu to rein in his Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, a former Osun governor and APC stalwart, whom he accused of orchestrating the crisis. However, his appeal appeared to have fallen on deaf ears as violence continued to escalate.
With PDP’s clean sweep in the highly contested council polls, Osun State now faces a fresh round of legal and political battles. The APC, citing the Court of Appeal’s ruling, is expected to challenge the legitimacy of the newly elected PDP chairmen. Meanwhile, concerns over post-election violence and security remain high as political tensions linger.
As the dust settles, one question remains: Will PDP’s victory stand, or will the courts and the federal government intervene to overturn the outcome? Only time will tell.
PIONEER NEWS 