They may not have featured on the ballot paper, but the outcome of Saturday’s Osun governorship election has left several prominent political figures among its losers. Beyond the candidates who contested the poll, the election also became a test of influence, political strength and the ability of key power brokers to deliver their constituencies and supporters. From President Bola Tinubu and APC governors to former governors and party chieftains, several influential figures threw their weight behind the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, in a bid to wrest power from Governor Ademola Adeleke.

But as the results emerged, some of these political heavyweights were left with little to show for their efforts. While some managed to deliver their polling units to the APC, others could not even secure their own units for the party they backed. Here are some of the prominent figures who, despite not being candidates in the election, emerged as losers from the outcome.

TINUBU

Osun State is widely believed to be his ancestral home, while Lagos remains the state with which he is most closely associated.

President Bola Tinubu lost both states during the 2023 presidential election. An APC victory in the Saturday’s election in Osun State would have placed Tinubu in a good position ahead of next year’s election.

Few days into the election, Tinubu summoned no fewer than 76 leaders of the APC in Osun State to the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, and reportedly demanded that they work together and give the APC victory.

Reports had it that the meeting, held late at night, followed a report by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. Ribadu’s report indicated that several APC leaders in the state were unhappy and had been sidelined in the party’s affairs, including the ongoing campaign.

Tinubu, according to reports, ordered the APC leaders to close ranks and ensure that the party’s candidate emerged victorious at the poll.

The President maintained a neutral stance openly throughout the electoral process and even demanded a free and credible election from INEC.

When the EFCC froze the Osun government account, Tinubu ordered it to be unfrozen.

“I must state that I feel deeply embarrassed, not by the EFCC’s exercise of its mandate backed by a court order, but by the timing of the agency’s action,” the President said.

But many observers believed that, despite Tinubu’s public posture, he was desperate to have Osun State back in the APC’s fold, hence the deployment of the federal might in the election.

APC GOVERNORS

Adeleke contested not just against Osun APC and its candidate, but also against his counterparts from the ruling party. The ruling party deployed virtually all the APC governors to participate in the campaign and mobilise support to ensure victory for the party.

During the campaign, some of the governors who stormed Osun did not mince words, calling out Adeleke and saying he would be sent packing on August 15. Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, stoked controversy when he labelled Adeleke a dancing governor and accused him of neglecting governance.

“Before somebody signs a paper, he will dance. Are you not tired? For four years, this man has been dancing. Before he takes breakfast, before he drinks tea, he will dance,” Okpebholo told supporters.

Expectedly, Adeleke and his nephew, Davido, clapped back at the Edo governor.

Davido mocked the Edo governor by posting what looked to be Okpebholo’s WAEC results on his Instagram Stories. Although the singer did not include a commentary with the post, it was generally understood as a response to the governor’s remarks regarding Adeleke.

Imo Governor, Hope Uzodimma, who chairs the APC Campaign Council, and his Kwara State counterpart, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, were also caught in the attacks.

Davido took a swipe at the Kwara State governor over his comments at the APC mega rally in Osun.

AbdulRazaq, during the rally, stressed the need to have a governor who can go to Aso Rock and attract good things to Osun State.

The Kwara governor also said that Osun people need a governor who has access to President Bola Tinubu.

Responding in a post on his verified X handle, Davido wrote, “Your accessibility to the President or the Villa brought nothing but insecurity to Kwarans. These so-called leaders are watery.”

OYETOLA

Minister of Marine and Blue Economy and former Governor Gboyega Oyetola had been defeated by Adeleke as a sitting governor in 2022, and many felt Oyebamiji’s pick by him was to take his pound of flesh from the incumbent four years after he left office.

Oyetola was ‘sure’ the APC would return to power and boastfully told Adeleke, “We will retrieve the power from you.”

Speaking in Yoruba during his address to APC members a few days before the election, Oyetola said Adeleke’s complaints suggested that the governor had realised he was losing control of the state.

He also dismissed Adeleke’s endorsement of President Tinubu, insisting that such an endorsement would not stop the APC from defeating the incumbent.

“They realised that they are already losing out. Then they claimed to have endorsed us. He almost cried. Endorsement cannot retain this seat for you. We are taking it over.

“If you like, make 10 endorsements, we will collect this one from you,” Oyetola said.

BASIRU

The National Secretary of the APC, Senator Ajibola Basiru, is another loser in Saturday’s election in his home state. He, however, delivered his polling unit for the APC candidate.

At Ward 7, Unit 3, Ibokun Road 2, Osogbo, where Basiru and his wife, Abibat, voted, Oyebamiji secured 177 votes to defeat Adeleke, who polled 60 votes.

Speaking after casting his ballot, the APC chieftain commended security personnel for maintaining peace and order at polling centres across the state.

He also applauded the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for what he described as the timely deployment of election officials and sensitive materials for the exercise.

Basiru was quoted in pre-election interviews as saying the party would accept defeat in Saturday’s governorship election if the poll was conducted freely and fairly.

“If you’re a democrat, you must be able to savour victory as well as endure defeat if the election is done free and fair,” he reportedly said during an interview with TVC.

OYINLOLA

Perhaps, the last-minute open endorsement, and a shocking one, came from Oyinlola in favour of the APC’s Oyebamiji. To political analysts, it was a minus for Adeleke.

It was believed that Oyinlola and Adeleke enjoyed a good relationship before the governor dumped the PDP for Accord in search of a political platform for his re-election bid.

Interestingly, Oyinlola was one of those who openly hinted that Adeleke would adopt Accord as a new platform in November 2025. Some even alleged that the former governor recommended Accord to Adeleke.

Speaking on the Osogbo-based private radio station Rave FM’s programme, Oro Oselu, Oyinlola responded to rumours about potential parties Adeleke might join and described the Accord Party as a reasonable option.

Oyinlola noted that he would not have joined the APC had Adeleke proceeded with plans to join the party.

He admitted that the crises within the PDP at the national level — likely to invalidate nomination processes — could prompt the governor to explore alternatives.

In Yoruba, Oyinlola said, when asked about options under consideration by Osun PDP stakeholders for Adeleke’s re-election:

“There was a time we considered moving to the APC, but I informed them I know that party well and would not follow them there. My stance remains the same.

“The APC does not honour promises. As secretary of the New PDP during the formation of the APC, I received nothing for my efforts. My decision to move with Adeleke depends on the party we choose. If it’s a party I do not believe in, I will not join.

“If we were to opt for APGA, it would be a one-shot chance. The Accord Party is a fair option. I know how the Accord Party was formed and its founder, Olusegun Obasanjo. I was involved in the formation of the African Democratic Congress, but it did not meet expectations and has lingering issues, despite some prominent politicians there now.

“When the governor returns this week, we will deliberate and inform the people of Osun of our decision.”

Many analysts had expected that Adeleke, being a former PDP governor, would enjoy the support of Oyinlola and other PDP leaders going into Saturday’s poll, but they were wrong.

Oyinlola was joined by a former Secretary to the State Government, Fatai Akinbade, and former PDP National Vice Chairman, Southwest, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo, in declaring support for the APC man.

Oyinlola said the group adopted Oyebamiji’s candidature, having considered the decision necessary and out of conviction and a sincere desire for the progress of the state.

He blamed lack of inclusiveness as part of the reason for dumping Adeleke.

“We believed in that project. We mobilised our people for it. We invested time, energy and political capital in it because we believed that it represented the aspirations of our people.

“But unfortunately, along the line, things began to fall apart, and one of the major issues that have created this unfortunate situation, in our considered view, is the lack of inclusiveness in the governance of our dear state.

“We believe strongly that no party or government can succeed sustainably when it does not carry its people and leaders along.

“The PDP has always been a party built around consultation, participation and collective responsibility.

“These are values that we must continue to uphold,” he said.

The Osun State chapter of the Accord Party branded Oyinlola’s decision as being of no political consequence, saying Adeleke would be re-elected without him.

And truly, Oyinlola could not deliver his polling unit to the APC candidate in Saturday’s election.

The Accord Party defeated the APC at Oyinlola’s polling unit in Okuku, Odo-Otin LGA of the state.

Accord secured 125 votes at Oyinlola’s polling unit, while the APC came second with 85 votes. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) polled five votes.

Oyinlola cast his vote at Court Hall I in Okuku, Odo-Otin LGA.

In the LGA’s result, Adeleke secured the highest number of votes in Odo-Otin Local Government. The Odo-Otin Local Government Collation Officer, Dr Ademola Aderibigbe, announced the aggregate results at the state collation centre.

Adeleke polled 18,003 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Oyebamiji, who secured 15,435.

BISI AKANDE

Interim National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande

Unlike Oyinlola, Bisi Akande, also a former state governor and interim National Chairman of the APC, delivered his polling unit for his party. But the elder statesman and one of Tinubu’s right-hand men failed to hold Osun State down for Tinubu ahead of the next election.

The founding interim national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former governor of Osun State, Bisi Akande, won his polling unit in Saturday’s governorship election in the state.

Akande voted earlier on Saturday at the polling unit designated as PU 12, Ward 4, in the Atogbade area of Ila-Orangun, Ila Local Government Area.

At the unit, the APC governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, recorded 181 votes, while Adeleke polled 121 votes.

Akande served as the governor of Osun State from 1999 to 2003 on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD).

Following his tenure as governor, he served as the national chairman of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Action Congress (AC) and Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN) for 11 consecutive years, from 2003 to 2014.

He subsequently became the founding interim national chairman of the APC.

FADAHUNSI

Another loser in the election is the Senator representing Osun East, Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi.

A retired customs officer, the APC senator stoke controversy when he allegedly issued death threats to the Accord Party members ahead of Saturday’s election.

Fadahunsi spoke in Yoruba while addressing supporters during a protest at the palace of the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland over what he described as incessant killings of the APC members in Ijesaland.

In the video circulating online, the senator, who was accompanied by other APC leaders, accused Accord Party members of killing people.

Fadahunsi had warned that there would be trouble if Accord Party members were seen in the area and was quoted as saying his supporters would “kill” them.

He later clarified that the statement was metaphorical, saying he meant that his supporters should defeat Accord at the polls through lawful and democratic means.

In a statement issued by his media office in Osogbo, titled “Kill Osun Accord with Votes, Not Violence, Senator Fadahunsi Tells APC,” the senator said his comment was “purely political and metaphorical.”

He said the statement was a call for supporters to overwhelmingly reject the Accord Party through their votes and not through physical attacks.

The APC Senator was invited for questioning by the police and released the same day.

And on the election day, he was caught on tape again, urging his supporters to closely monitor the voting process during Saturday’s governorship election.

Fadahunsi made the call while addressing supporters in Ilesha, urging them to ensure that voters cast their ballots for their preferred candidates.

In a video online, he was heard saying, “Monitor the ballot, don’t let someone else tell you, monitor it. Whosoever does not vote rightly is not a true son of this land.” (Weekend Trust)

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