Major stake holders in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are currently in confusion and fear over the loss recorded by the party in the just concluded governorship election in Osun State.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday declared Senator Ademola Adeleke, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the winner of the Osun governorship election in a keenly contested exercise which was adjudged free and fair by local and foreign observers.
Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, the Returning Officer for the election and Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), announced that Adeleke got a total of 403,371 votes beating the incumbent, Adegboyega Oyetola of the APC who got 375,027 votes.
He said, “I declare Adeleke Ademola Jackson Nurudeen, on behalf of the Chairman of INEC, of the PDP, having satisfied the requirement of the law, is hereby declared the winner and he is returned elected.”
According to the total votes recorded by the electoral umpire, the PDP won 17 of the 30 local government areas of the state, while the APC won the remaining 13.
The PDP won in Ede North, Ede South, Ifelodun, Boluwaduro, Egbedore, Odo Otin, Osogbo, Ila, Atakumosa West, Olorunda, Ilesa West, Obokun, Oriade, Orolu, Ife North, Irepodun, and Ejigbo LGAs.
The APC, on the other hand, won in Boripe, Ilesa East, Ayedire, Ifedayo, Ife Central, Ayedaade, Iwo, Olaoluwa, Isokan, Atakumosa East, Irewole, Ife South, and Ife East LGAs.
The loss of the APC in Osun is coming at a time the party is struggling to convince Nigerians on its choice of a Muslim- Muslim presidential ticket which has met with widespread criticisms from Nigerians.
Loyalists of Tinubu, who were shocked by the outcome of the election, declined to speak on the issue on Sunday, saying they await the party’s position.
Some of the APC chieftains, who spoke with Daily Independent on condition of anonymity, said the outcome of the election is a bad signal, considering the fact that Osun is one of the states in the South-West where the party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, enjoys popularity….
