…Says people deserve peace, not endless political battles
The 21-day window for filing a petition to challenge the outcome of the 2026 Osun State governorship election elapsed on Saturday, September 5, 2026, following the declaration of Governor Ademola Adeleke as the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday, August 16, 2026.
The legal position is clear and unambiguous. Section 134(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 states that: “An election petition may be presented by one or more candidates in an election or a political party which participated in the election. The petition shall be filed within 21 days after the date of the declaration of the result of the election.”
Also, Section 285(5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, provides that: “An election petition shall be filed within 21 days after the date of the declaration of the result of the elections.”
It is important to stress that the law provides for 21 days, not 21 working days. Within this entire 21-day period, no notice was served on the democratically elected Governor Ademola Adeleke, and no petition was filed before the tribunal challenging the outcome of the August 16 governorship election. The window therefore closed on Saturday, September 5, 2026. This is a clear indication that the election stands and the mandate is settled. This provision is not a mere administrative formality. It is a deliberate constitutional and statutory requirement designed to ensure that election disputes are brought within a clearly defined period and that the electoral process does not remain indefinitely unsettled.
At this point, Osun State must turn its attention away from electoral uncertainty and towards the business of governance. The people deserve peace, clarity and certainty. While the law provides room for judicial redress, the election cannot be contested forever. Any matter properly brought before the tribunal should be determined in accordance with the law, but the state must not be held hostage by endless political calculations.
For many residents, the real anticipation is no longer another round of election arguments. It is the official second-term inauguration of Governor Ademola Adeleke slated for November — a moment to renew the commitment to governance, development and the transformation of Osun State.
The people are not asking for another election campaign. They are asking for a better state. They want an administration that will build on the achievements of the first term and deliver even more meaningful progress in the second: better roads, stronger healthcare, quality education, economic opportunities, improved workers’ welfare, security, and an environment where businesses can thrive.
The second term should not be about repeating the first term. It should be about surpassing it. Governor Adeleke must therefore see this renewed mandate as a fresh opportunity to transform Osun into a state that works better for its people. The first term may have laid a foundation, but the second term must build on that foundation with greater ambition, stronger execution and measurable results.
For the opposition, the lesson should also be clear: democracy allows disagreement, criticism and legal challenges, but there must eventually be a point where political contests give way to governance. Osun cannot afford to spend another political season discussing an election that has already been decided at the polls.
The people have voted. INEC has declared a winner. The law provides a deadline, and that deadline has passed without any challenge. Winning the election is only the beginning. The real test is what the administration does with this renewed opportunity to lead.
The people of Osun deserve a government that will not only celebrate its achievements, but also acknowledge areas where more work is needed. They deserve a government that will listen, improve, and deliver.
Congratulations to the people of Osun State. Congratulations to Governor Ademola Adeleke.
The people have given you another opportunity to lead. Now, make it count.
Let the good work begin.
Signed:
Comrade James Onifade
Advocate for good governance and judicial reform
