The long-awaited and keenly-contested Osun governorship election is here. The build-up to the election has produced months of political intrigues, wanton violence, accusations, counter-accusations, and a series of court orders.
On Saturday, residents across 30 LGAs in Osun will head to the polls to decide who will be the next governor of the state among the 15 candidates contesting the election, including the incumbent, Ademola Adeleke.
1,906,390 voters who had obtained their permanent voter cards (PVCs) out of 2,339,233 registered voters in the state will decide the fate of the 15 candidates contesting for the number one seat in the state.
The 15 candidates contesting the governorship seat are Adeleke of Accord; Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC); Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC); Farinloye Olarenwaju of the Action Alliance (AA); Esan Olajide of the African Action Congress (AAC); Adeagbo Opawoye of the African Democratic Party (ADP); Adesina Adeyemi-Doro of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA); and Saliu Oyelami of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP).
Others are Ogunsakin Olalekan of the Young Progressives Party (YPP); Adefemi Adesuyi of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP); Adewale Adebayo of the Allied People’s Movement (APM); Clement Adesuyi of the Action Peoples Party (APP); Masilo Adeleke of the Boot Party (BP); and Taofeek Adeleke of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
Francis Olugbenga Ajala of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) was added to the candidates’ list by INEC on Wednesday following a court order.
In 2022, Adeleke defeated Gboyega Oyetola of the APC, who was the incumbent governor, to clinch the governorship seat.
Analysts had argued that the internal wranglings in the Osun APC in the build-up to the 2022 governorship election contributed to the defeat of the APC in the last election.
At the moment, the Osun APC has moved past the divisions that marred the party in the 2022 election and is now focused on reclaiming the state.
Adeleke will be battling to retain the governorship seat amid the strong challenge posed by the Osun APC.
The build-up to the election has been characterised by heightened political tensions and a battle for supremacy between the APC and the Adeleke-led administration.
The Osun governor had accused the APC and Oyetola of allegedly using federal agencies to frustrate his administration in a bid to undermine his chances of re-election.
Since 1999, only one Osun governor — Rauf Aregbesola — has won and completed a second term in office.
Although Olagunsoye Oyinlola, then candidate of the PDP, won his re-election in the 2007 Osun governorship poll, the election was later cancelled by the court and Aregbesola was declared winner.
Today, Osun residents will either retain Adeleke for a second term in office or elect a new governor.
As the events unfold, Apollomedia’s reporters will be on the ground across the state to deliver live updates — in text, video, audio and photo — and everything you need to know about the governorship election.
The team is led by Ishola Ridwan “I.SHOW Graphics” , who is seasoned in election coverage, and supported by Bolarinwa Isaac, a senior photographer and multimedia manager.
Follow all the action via ApolloMedia’s platforms — a live blog on the website, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
