The leading candidates in today’s Osun State governorship election have expressed confidence that they will emerge victorious, while stressing that the credibility of the process will determine whether they accept the final result, Peak Newspaper reports.
The candidates include the Accord Party candidate and incumbent Governor, Ademola Adeleke; APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji; ADC candidate, Najeem Salaami; and SDP candidate, Francis Ajala.
Across the major political camps, the candidates and their representatives maintained that defeat was not being considered. However, they called for a free, fair, transparent and credible election, with supporters protected from intimidation.
The Imole Campaign Council, through its spokesman, Pelumi Olajengbesi, said Adeleke and his team were confident of victory and were not contemplating defeat.
Olajengbesi urged Adeleke’s supporters to turn out and vote peacefully, saying the party expected the will of the people to prevail.
He added that Accord would consider the election credible if security agencies provided a neutral playing field and INEC conducted the process transparently.
On the APC side, the party’s Director of Media and Information in Osun State, Kola Olabisi, also dismissed the possibility of an Oyebamiji defeat.
Olabisi said the APC was confident in INEC’s ability to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive election in accordance with the Electoral Act 2026, as amended.
He said the party expected Oyebamiji to win based on what he described as the candidate’s preparation and campaign efforts. However, he acknowledged that the APC would use available legal channels if it became necessary to challenge the outcome.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) also expressed confidence in its candidate, Najeem Salaami.
The party’s spokesman, Oluwaseun Abosede, raised concerns about the accreditation of some of its polling agents, alleging that INEC had failed to issue permits to some of them.
He said the ADC’s acceptance of the final result would depend largely on the conduct of INEC, the security agencies and both the state and Federal Government.
According to him, the central requirement remains a transparent and credible election.
With voting taking place across the state today, the competing political camps have therefore placed significant emphasis on the conduct of INEC and the neutrality of security agencies.
The election features 18 candidates representing different political parties.
Other candidates include Olanrewaju Farinloye of the AA, Essan Olajide of the AAC, Adeagbo Opawole Yemisi of the ADP, Aderemi-Doro Adesina Olusanya of the APGA, Adebayo Simeon Adewale of the APM and Adesuyi Banji Clement of the APP.
Also contesting are Adeleke Adesoji Masilo of the BP, Adeleke Adewole Taofeek of the NNPP, Salifu Razaq Oyelami of the PRP, Ogunsakin Olalekan of the YPP and Adesuyi John Olufemi of the ZLP.
As voters head to the polls, attention is now focused on whether the electoral process will meet the expectations of the competing parties and whether the eventual winner will be accepted by the major contenders.
Whoever emerges, the credibility of today’s election will remain central to how the result is received across Osun State.
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