By Thomas Abidoye
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has disowned Election Petition No. EPT/OS/GOV/02/2026, saying it was not authorised, sponsored, approved or endorsed by the party to challenge the outcome of the August 15, 2026 Osun State Governorship Election.
In a statement signed by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, at a press briefing held in Abuja, on Wednesday, the party said it did not institute or authorise the petition purportedly filed in its name before the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Osogbo.
The party said the authority to institute and conduct legal proceedings on its behalf is vested in the National Legal Adviser under Article 42 of the PDP Constitution.
It stated that the National Legal Adviser, A.K. Ajibade, SAN, did not authorise or instruct any individual or lawyer to file the petition on behalf of the party.
The PDP identified Ochai Jacob Otokpa, Esq., as the lawyer purportedly responsible for filing the petition in the name of the party and challenged him to produce the authority, instruction or mandate under which he instituted the proceedings.
The party also questioned who instructed or authorised the lawyer to act in its name and by what authority he purportedly instituted the case.
The PDP said it had completely disowned and dissociated itself from Election Petition No. EPT/OS/GOV/02/2026, maintaining that the petition was not instituted with its authority or consent and did not represent its position.
The party further stated that Adebayo Adedamola, popularly known as “Fryo,” who was purportedly presented as the PDP candidate in the 2026 Osun governorship election, had also distanced himself from the petition.
According to the PDP, Adedamola said during an appearance on TVC News on September 7, 2026, that he did not instruct or retain any lawyer to institute a petition challenging the election outcome.
The party said its Legal Department was taking immediate steps to formally withdraw its name from the purported proceedings.
It urged the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the Accord Party, Governor Ademola Adeleke, security agencies, the media and the general public to take note of its position and disregard the petition and its contents.
The PDP also called on the appropriate authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the preparation and filing of the petition and take appropriate action against anyone found to have unlawfully impersonated the party or used its name, identity or legal personality without authorisation.
The party maintained that it would not allow its name, constitutional authority or institutional identity to be used by individuals acting without its mandate.
