APC Humiliates Aregbesola, Wins His Polling Unit in Osun Governorship Election
Former Governor loses to APC at home turf as ADC suffers early setback in Saturday’s gubernatorial contest
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has delivered a stunning blow to former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, defeating his African Democratic Congress (ADC) at his own polling unit in Saturday’s Osun governorship election, results have confirmed. In what political analysts are calling a significant early setback for the ADC, where Aregbesola serves as National Secretary, the former Minister of Interior failed to deliver his immediate polling environment to his party’s candidate, Najeem Salaam—despite his decades-long political influence in the Ilesa region.
At Polling Unit 001, Cooperative Building Junction, Isare, Ward 08, Ilesa East Local Government Area—where Aregbesola cast his ballot earlier in the day—the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, emerged victorious with a commanding 256 votes. The incumbent governor and Accord Party candidate, Ademola Adeleke, secured 43 votes, while the ADC’s Salaam managed a disappointing 13 votes—a humbling outcome for a party banking on Aregbesola’s political machinery.
The ADC suffered yet another embarrassing loss at Polling Unit 007, Elegant D.C. (Agbon Arugbo), also in Isare, Ward 08, Ilesa East LGA—a location in close proximity to Aregbesola’s family compound. Here, the APC secured 202 votes, followed by the Accord Party with 110 votes, while the ADC could only muster 12 votes.
READ ALSO:
- Oyo Police Smash Human Parts Syndicate: 10 Arrested, Heart, Skull Recovered
- Heavy Security, Long Queues, Massive Turnout Mark Osun Governorship Election in Ede
- Protest in Osogbo Over Ballot Paper Shortage, Missing Voter Names
This outcome represents more than just a numerical defeat—it signals potential fragility in the ADC’s campaign strategy, which had heavily relied on Aregbesola’s political pedigree and grassroots connections. Aregbesola, who governed Osun State from 2010 to 2018—first under the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and later the APC, a party he helped establish in 2013—left the ruling party to join the ADC in a political realignment that many viewed as a game-changer for Osun politics. He subsequently served as Minister of Interior under the APC-led federal administration. His defection was meant to position the ADC as a credible third force in Osun’s political landscape, with Salaam’s candidacy drawing strength from Aregbesola’s widespread name recognition and political network. However, the results from these two polling units in Ilesa East suggest that the APC’s grassroots appeal remains formidable—even in territories considered Aregbesola’s stronghold.
Aregbesola’s defeat is not an isolated incident in Saturday’s election, as other prominent political figures also failed to secure victories at their respective polling units. Senator Iyiola Omisore, former Osun Deputy Governor and ex-APC National Secretary, lost his polling unit to the Accord Party, which polled 131 votes against the APC’s 85. Similarly, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, another former Osun Governor, also lost his polling unit in Okuku to the Accord Party. These results suggest a broader political realignment across Osun State, with voters appearing to make independent choices rather than following party loyalists.
Meanwhile, there was jubilation in Ede North Local Government Area after Governor Adeleke secured a landslide victory at his own polling unit. At Ward 02, Polling Unit 009, Abogunde Compound, Ede North, the Accord Party candidate polled an overwhelming 421 votes, while the APC managed only 29 votes. The announcement triggered celebrations among the governor’s supporters, who had gathered at the polling unit as votes were counted and declared.
Voting in Saturday’s governorship election commenced as early as 9:00 a.m. and concluded around 2:30 p.m. at many polling units across the state. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is in the process of uploading results from Osun’s 3,763 polling units to its Result Viewing Portal (IReV). As of the time of this report, a significant percentage of results had been uploaded, with collation ongoing across the state’s local government areas. The election featured candidates from 15 political parties, following a last-minute court order that added the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate to the ballot.
For Aregbesola, the inability to deliver his home polling unit—and indeed, his family compound—raises serious questions about the ADC’s ground game and the effectiveness of his political machinery in Osun. Political observers note that while the ADC sought to position itself as a viable alternative to both the APC and the Accord Party, Saturday’s results indicate that the party still struggles to translate its leadership’s stature into votes—even in familiar territory. For the APC, the victory at Aregbesola’s polling unit provides an early morale boost and serves as a symbolic reclaiming of territory formerly held by one of its founding members. As collation continues across the state, all eyes remain on INEC’s official declaration, which will determine whether Governor Adeleke secures a second term or the APC manages a historic comeback.