Adebayo Adedamola: Denies Osun Adeleke Petition, Cites Unauthorized Filing

• Adebayo Adedamola, the PDP governorship candidate in the August 15 Osun State election, has denied filing a petition challenging Governor Ademola Adeleke's victory.
• The petition, identified as EPT/OS/GOV/02/2026, was reportedly filed in Adedamola's name against Adeleke, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the Accord Party.
• Adedamola stated he was unaware of the filing, had not instructed his lawyers, and questioned the origin of the document.
• He cited his prior public support for Adeleke and his claim of voting for the Accord candidate as reasons he would not challenge the election outcome.
• This incident highlights the critical need for lawyers to verify client instructions and the authenticity of filings in election petition cases.

The denial by a named petitioner, Adebayo Adedamola, could lead to the dismissal of the petition on grounds of lack of standing or unauthorized action.

The political landscape in Osun State has been stirred by an unexpected development concerning the August 15 governorship election. Adebayo Adedamola, who ran as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, has categorically denied any involvement in a legal challenge to Governor Ademola Adeleke's victory. This denial emerged on Monday following the public display of various petitions at the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Osogbo. Among these filings was one specifically marked EPT/OS/GOV/02/2026, which was reportedly submitted in Adedamola's name.

This particular petition targeted Governor Adeleke, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the Accord Party. However, in an interview with TVC on Monday, Adedamola firmly stated that neither he nor his legal representatives had initiated or authorized any such case. He expressed complete unawareness of the petition's existence, questioning its origin by stating he did not know "where they manufactured the petition they submitted at the tribunal." This strong repudiation by the Osun PDP candidate disowns petition EPT/OS/GOV/02/2026, creating a significant procedural quandary for the tribunal.

Adedamola further elaborated on his reasons for not pursuing a Governor Ademola Adeleke election challenge. He confirmed that he had received no communication from either his legal counsel or the leadership of his party indicating any plan to contest the election results in court. Moreover, he asserted that no internal meeting had ever taken place where a decision was reached to institute a post-election legal challenge. His stance, he explained, was rooted in his consistent support for Governor Adeleke, a position that predated the August 15 election.

He recalled that the PDP had held a press conference on August 13, just two days before the election, where the party publicly endorsed Adeleke's candidacy. Adedamola also stated that he subsequently voted for the Accord candidate, adding, "I even voted for Governor Adeleke of the Accord party. Why would I now change today and be filing any petition against him?" This rhetorical question underscored his incredulity at the unauthorized filing.

This incident, centered on the EPT/OS/GOV/02/2026 unauthorized filing, carries substantial implications for the integrity of election petitions and legal practice in Nigeria. It critically highlights the imperative for legal professionals involved in such cases to meticulously verify the authenticity of all submitted documents and, crucially, to confirm explicit instructions from their clients. The clear denial by Adebayo Adedamola, the named petitioner, introduces a fundamental challenge to the petition's validity.

Should the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal find that the petition was indeed filed without Adedamola's authorization, it could lead to its dismissal on grounds of lack of standing or unauthorized action. Such an outcome would not only resolve the immediate challenge but also establish a significant precedent for procedural scrutiny in similar cases, potentially deterring instances of Nigeria election petition fraud. This development underscores the vital role of client consent and due diligence in maintaining the credibility of the judicial process, particularly in sensitive post-election legal battles.

This development highlights the critical need for lawyers involved in election petitions to verify the authenticity of all filings and the explicit instructions from their clients. The denial by a named petitioner could lead to the dismissal of the petition EPT/OS/GOV/02/2026 on grounds of lack of standing or unauthorized action, setting a precedent for procedural challenges in similar cases.

Source: Original reporting via TVC and Vanguard