Osun poll: PDP disowns petition, challenges lawyer to produce authorisation

ABUJA — The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday disowned Election Petition No. EPT/OS/GOV/02/2026, purportedly filed in its name to challenge the outcome of the August 15, 2026, Osun State governorship election, declaring that it was not its case.

Speaking at a press briefing at Wadata Plaza, Abuja, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, said the petition before the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, Osogbo, was filed without the approval of the party.

He said Article 42 of the PDP Constitution vests authority to institute legal proceedings on behalf of the party in the National Legal Adviser, A.K. Ajibade, SAN, who did not authorise lawyer Ochai Jacob Otokpa, Esq., to file the petition.

The party consequently challenged Otokpa to produce the authority upon which he acted.

“Who instructed him? Who authorised him? And by what authority did he purport to act in the name of the PDP?” Jungudo asked.

The PDP also said Adebayo Adedamola, popularly known as “Fryo”, who was presented as its candidate in the election, had distanced himself from the petition.

According to the party, Adedamola, speaking on TVC News on September 7, said he neither instructed nor retained any lawyer to challenge the election result and had no basis to dispute the outcome, having personally voted for the declared winner, Governor Ademola Adeleke.

The party said its Legal Department had commenced steps to withdraw its name from the proceedings, urging the tribunal, INEC, Accord Party, Governor Adeleke, security agencies and the public to disregard the petition as an official PDP action.

It also called for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the preparation and filing of the petition, with anyone found to have unlawfully used the party’s name or legal identity to be prosecuted.

“The PDP will not allow its name, constitutional authority, or institutional identity to be appropriated by individuals acting without the mandate of the Party,” Jungudo said.