In a sweeping victory, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has secured all the chairmanship and councillorship positions across the 30 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Osun State. The announcement was made by the Chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), Hashim Abioye, during a press conference on Saturday.
Despite concerns over security, the election proceeded as scheduled. Both the Nigeria Police and the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, had advised against holding the election, citing fears of potential violence. However, Abioye stated that the commission was guided by a ruling from the Osun State High Court in Ilesa, which ordered the election to fill the vacant council positions.
Voting began promptly at 8 a.m. on Saturday in all LGAs, including Ede North, where Governor Ademola Adeleke cast his vote. After voting, the governor praised the peaceful nature of the election process, encouraging Osun residents to maintain the calm atmosphere throughout the day. “I made a broadcast to my good people of Osun State that this election should be peaceful. There should be no violence because Osun State is a very peaceful state,” Adeleke said.
However, the election was not without controversy. Abioye accused the police of sealing OSSIEC’s office in Osogbo and arresting several of its staff members, forcing the commission to relocate its operations to an undisclosed site. This tension came after the police issued a warning on Friday, citing credible intelligence of potential violence surrounding the election.
The situation was further complicated by the Attorney General’s objection to the poll. Fagbemi pointed to a recent ruling by the Court of Appeal in Akure on February 10, 2025, which overturned a prior judgment by the Federal High Court in Osogbo. The appellate court’s decision reinstated All Progressives Congress (APC) local government chairmen, who had been previously dismissed, adding to the already high-stakes political drama.
Tensions had been escalating for days, with violent clashes between PDP and APC supporters over control of local government councils. These confrontations led to at least six fatalities since Monday. Governor Adeleke had earlier accused APC members, with support from security agencies, of attempting to seize control of council secretariats. He also appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene and caution his minister, Gboyega Oyetola, over the unfolding crisis.
