Two governorship candidates in Saturday’s Osun State election — Adebayo Simon Adewale of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and Adedamola Adebayo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) — have withdrawn from the race and declared support for the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke.
Their decisions, announced less than 48 hours before the election, have reshaped the final stretch of campaigning as political actors intensify mobilisation across the state.
Adewale announced his withdrawal at a press conference in Osogbo, saying he reached the decision after consulting party leaders, supporters and other stakeholders.
He said his choice was driven by what he described as the interest of Osun rather than personal ambition.
He urged APM members to support Adeleke, saying the governor deserved another term to consolidate ongoing projects.
Adewale added that political actors should prioritise peace, stability and development when making decisions that affect voters.
In a separate briefing, PDP candidate Adedamola Adebayo — popularly known as Fryo — also announced his withdrawal and endorsed Adeleke.
“I encourage all PDP members, supporters and structure to share this position peacefully. Support the emergence of Ademola Adeleke as the governor till 2030,” he said.
INEC Intensifies Final Preparations as Security Presence Rises
As Osun prepares for Saturday’s governorship election, the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) along Gbongan‑Ibadan Road in Osogbo has become a hub of activity.
Security personnel, including officers of the Nigeria Police Force, were seen in large numbers as final deployment plans were being concluded.
Election stakeholders — civil society organisations, journalists and accredited observers — were also present at the INEC office.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Oluwatoyin Babalola, was said to be meeting with National Commissioners and supporting RECs from other states to finalise arrangements.
INEC said the election would be conducted in 3,763 polling units across 332 wards in the state’s 30 local government areas.
The commission also disclosed that 1,906,390 permanent voter cards (PVCs) had been collected out of 2,339,233 registered voters, representing 81.50% of eligible voters.
INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, said 426,842 PVCs remained with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in line with established practice.
He added that 6,101 voters who applied for replacements printed downloadable copies of their PVCs.
The heightened activity reflects the significance of the poll, which will determine whether Adeleke secures another term or faces a shift in political leadership.
Election observers from groups such as Yiaga Africa (yiaga.org in Bing) (bing.com in Bing) have been monitoring pre‑election developments and assessing readiness across the state.
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