Osun: ADC Congratulates Adeleke, Demands Explanation From INEC Over IReV Interruption

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has congratulated Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on his victory in Saturday’s governorship election, describing the outcome as a victory for democracy and the people of the state.

The party, however, demanded an explanation from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the reported interruption in the uploading of election results on the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) during the collation process.

In a statement issued on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said Adeleke’s victory was significant because, according to the party, it was achieved despite what it described as “overwhelming intimidation and the massive deployment of state power” by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The party also commended opposition leaders and supporters who, it said, worked together to defeat what it described as “APC tyranny.”

The ADC said the election demonstrated that “no political machine is greater than a determined electorate,” adding that when citizens were determined to choose their preferred political direction, the ballot could still prevail.

It said the outcome was particularly significant given the level of political mobilisation by the APC ahead of the election.

“The APC’s entire political machine descended on one of the smallest states in Nigeria, with more than 30 state governors leading the invasion. The Senate President was there. The Speaker of the House of Representatives was there. Hundreds of federal and state legislators and other senior government officials were mobilised from across the federation,” the statement said.

According to the party, the political mobilisation was aimed at making Osun an example of what Nigerians should expect in the 2027 general elections.

“But what they got instead was a chastening lesson that, in a democracy, you may control the government and all the forces it commands, but you cannot control the people’s minds or obtain their consent by force,” it said.

The ADC also said the heavy security deployment in the state, which it claimed could have discouraged citizens from exercising their democratic rights, instead strengthened their determination to vote.

It alleged that voters faced violence, arrests and intimidation during the election.

The party said the development had wider implications for Nigeria’s democracy, arguing that citizens could reject poor governance through the ballot box.

“Across Nigeria today, that idea is gathering strength: that citizens do not have to endure bad leadership; that we do not have to surrender to tyranny; that hardship does not have to be our permanent national condition; and that bad governance can be brought to an end peacefully and decisively through the ballot box,” it said.

However, the ADC said the reported interruption in the uploading of results to the IReV portal could not be ignored.

It claimed that its intelligence report indicated that at about 8pm on Saturday, INEC was directed to stop uploading election results to IReV when it became apparent that the APC was losing.

The party said the alleged development resulted in several hours of interruption in the uploading of results noticed by election monitors and observers.

The ADC consequently demanded a comprehensive explanation from INEC, saying Nigerians deserved to know what happened during the period.

“The ADC hereby demands a comprehensive explanation from the Independent National Electoral Commission regarding the observed interruption in the uploading of election results to the IReV portal for nearly four hours on election night. INEC must tell Nigerians precisely what happened,” it said.

The party further alleged that there were grounds to suspect an attempt to tamper with the election results or render the election inconclusive, while acknowledging that it was awaiting INEC’s explanation.

“While we await INEC’s explanation, ADC has reasonable grounds to believe that an attempt was made by the ruling party to tamper with the results of the election and to render the process, at least, inconclusive,” the statement said.

It credited Governor Adeleke, election monitors and observers with raising the alarm over the development, saying their intervention may have prevented the alleged plan from succeeding.

The party warned that the incident should serve as a lesson ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“ADC believes that this attempted heist is indicative of what the APC is capable of doing in the coming general elections. This is why INEC must give a full account of what happened in those few critical hours.

We must not allow the euphoria of this victory to blind us to the dangers that lie ahead,” it said.

The ADC also argued that the APC would not easily surrender power unless confronted with what it described as the inevitability of defeat, as demonstrated by the Osun election.

It said attempts by the ruling party to present its defeat as evidence of its commitment to democracy and free elections would amount to “damage control.”

The party maintained that the outcome was made possible by the determination of Osun voters, cooperation among opposition actors and vigilance by election monitors and observers.

“If Osun has taught us anything this weekend, it is this: A government may deploy power everywhere, but it cannot deploy it inside

the ballot booth,” the ADC said.

“The time to end APC bad governance has come.”