OSOGBO, Osun State — Tension and celebration mixed in Osogbo in the early hours of Sunday as some youths reportedly gathered along the route of a convoy believed to be carrying All Progressives Congress (APC) governors out of Osun State after the conclusion of the 2026 governorship election.
In a video circulating online, residents could be heard chanting “Ole” as the convoy moved away from the area. The Yoruba word is commonly used as a derogatory expression meaning “thief.”
The incident reportedly occurred after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke the winner of Saturday’s governorship election.
Adeleke, who contested under the Accord Party, polled 511,067 votes, defeating APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes. The governor won in 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji secured 11.
The reported departure of the APC governors comes against the backdrop of the intense political contest that preceded the election, with several APC figures campaigning for Oyebamiji and urging voters to return the party to power in Osun.
The scenes captured in the circulating video appeared to reflect the heightened emotions surrounding the outcome of the election. However, the identities of all individuals in the convoy and the exact circumstances surrounding their departure could not be independently verified from the video.
The development has since generated reactions on social media, with supporters of the victorious Accord Party celebrating Adeleke’s return for another term.
The election itself has also attracted calls for investigations into alleged electoral offences. The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged INEC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate allegations of vote-buying, financial inducement, intimidation and violence connected to the poll.
With Adeleke now declared winner, attention is expected to shift towards the next phase of the political process, including reactions from the APC and other participating parties.
