The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has secured victory in all the chairmanship and councillorship positions across the 30 local government areas (LGAs) in Osun State.
Hashim Abioye, Chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), made the announcement during a press conference on Saturday. Despite warnings from the police and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, to postpone the elections, the commission proceeded, citing a ruling by the Osun State High Court in Ilesa, which mandated the election for the vacant positions.
The elections began early on Saturday at 8 am across all 30 local councils in the South-Western state, including the Ede North LGA, where Governor Ademola Adeleke cast his vote. Following the vote, Governor Adeleke described the election as peaceful, emphasizing that he had called for a non-violent process in his message to the people of Osun.
Prior to the election, Abioye accused the police of sealing the commission’s headquarters in Osogbo and arresting some personnel. However, he stated that the commission moved to an undisclosed location to fulfill its constitutional duty.
The police had issued a warning on Friday, citing potential security threats and intelligence suggesting the likelihood of violence. This warning followed the stance of the AGF, who called on the state governor to suspend the election. The AGF pointed out that a ruling by the Court of Appeal in Akure on February 10, 2025, had overturned the November 25, 2022, decision of the Federal High Court in Osogbo, reinstating the previously removed All Progressives Congress (APC) local council chairmen.
Since Monday, at least six people have been confirmed dead following clashes between APC and PDP members in Osun State over control of the local government councils. Before the clashes, Governor Adeleke had raised concerns, claiming that APC members, with the backing of security agencies, intended to seize control of the council secretariats. He had appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene and caution APC leader Gboyega Oyetola, but no action seemed to have been taken, leading to the escalation.
