On July 17, 2022, Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Ademola Adeleke, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the winner of the Osun State governorship election held on July 16. Adeleke gained popularity on social media during the campaign, showcasing his dancing skills to attract voters and garner support. The Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, announced that Adeleke received a total of 403,371 votes, defeating the incumbent governor, Adegboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who garnered 375,027 votes in a closely contested race. Adeleke was sworn in as the sixth governor of Osun State on November 27, 2022, marking the occasion with another display of his dance moves. However, his tenure lasted only 61 days before the tribunal annulled his victory and declared Oyetola the winner.
The lead-up to the Osun State election was marked by Adeleke’s earlier achievements. On March 8, 2022, he won the Osun PDP governorship primary election at the Osogbo City Stadium, supervised by Deputy Governor of Bayelsa, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo. However, a parallel primary conducted by a faction of the PDP led by Wale Ojo resulted in Prince Dotun Babayemi being declared the winner. Babayemi subsequently sought legal recognition as the valid PDP candidate, but the Federal High Court in Osogbo affirmed Adeleke’s position. Unsatisfied with this ruling, Babayemi appealed to the Court of Appeal in Akure. Concerned about the potential impact of this factional dispute on the party’s chances in the upcoming election, Adeleke’s camp worked to reconcile with Babayemi’s faction. Ultimately, Adeleke remained the officially recognized candidate and prepared to face Oyetola again, having previously lost to him in the 2018 election.
In the lead-up to the election, Oyetola secured the APC ticket for a second term but faced internal challenges from his predecessor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who had been a significant figure in his administration. To ensure victory, the APC established an 86-member campaign council, led by Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. Meanwhile, the PDP mobilized support from its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, who campaigned for Adeleke in Osun State. Ultimately, Adeleke won the election by a margin of 28,344 votes, solidifying his position as governor.
Following his victory, Oyetola described his defeat as a “temporary setback,” expressing confidence that he would return to the governorship. In his initial actions as governor, Adeleke implemented several policy changes, including abolishing the “State of Osun” designation introduced by Aregbesola, freezing state accounts, and reversing all appointments made by Oyetola since July 17. He also pledged to address past injustices and corrupt practices from the previous administration.
Dissatisfied with the election outcome, Oyetola challenged Adeleke’s victory in the Election Petitions Tribunal in Osogbo, alleging irregularities. The tribunal, led by Justice Tetsea Kume, granted Oyetola’s request for inspection of INEC’s documents. In November, Oyetola’s counsel presented evidence, including election results from various local government areas. By January 13, the parties involved had submitted their final written addresses, and the tribunal scheduled its judgment for January 27, 2023.
On that date, the tribunal ruled in favor of Oyetola, stating that INEC had not complied with constitutional and electoral provisions. The tribunal deducted votes due to over-voting and declared Oyetola the winner with 314,921 votes, while Adeleke’s total was reduced to 290,266. Consequently, Adeleke’s victory was annulled, and he lost the governorship seat. Although he rejected the tribunal’s judgment and vowed to appeal, he remained out of office until a higher court could provide a counter ruling.
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