The governorship election in Osun State ended on Saturday with early results indicating a tight contest between incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party and the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji.
With results still being uploaded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Result Viewing (IReV) portal, both camps recorded victories at their respective polling units, while results from other locations showed mixed outcomes.
INEC has 3,763 polling units across the state. As of the latest update monitored on the IReV portal, results from 3292 units, representing 87.48 per cent, had been uploaded, while 471 units, or 12.52 per cent, were yet to be reflected.
The incomplete figures made it too early to determine the overall winner as collation continued.
In one of the results monitored, Accord scored 164 votes against APC’s 50 at the Technical College Polling Unit, Ataoja Ward E, Osogbo Local Government Area.
At the Primary School Polling Unit, Igbaye Ward 1, Odo-Otin LGA, Accord also led APC, 164 to 134.
In Ifedayo LGA, Accord scored 182 votes against APC’s 114 at the Centre Maternity Polling Unit, Oke-Ila 1, Balogun Ward. However, APC won at Balogun Ward SDA Primary School, where it polled 128 against Accord’s 105.
At Aworo/Oke-Ila Grammar School II, also in Ifedayo, APC scored 146 votes against Accord’s 110.
In Ede North LGA, Accord secured 357 votes against APC’s 94 at Amosun Compound Polling Unit, while at Olognagbaakin Polling Unit, Odumaye Square, Accord scored 218 against APC’s 78.
At Market Square Polling Unit, Ijeda/Iloko Ward, Oriade LGA, Accord polled 159 votes against APC’s 139, while at Open Space BAA-Isale Area, Elejigbo A Ward, Ejigbo LGA, Accord scored 78 against APC’s 54.
Governor Adeleke secured 421 votes at Ward 02, Polling Unit 009, Abogunde Compound, Ede North LGA.
Former governor and ex-Interim National Chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande, also won his polling unit at Ita Atewogbade II, Isedo II Registration Area, Ila LGA, where the APC secured 181 votes.
But former governor and ADC national secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, lost his polling unit.
At Ifofin Ward 8, Unit 1, Isare, Ilesa East LGA, APC polled 256 votes, Accord 43, while ADC secured only 13 votes.
Former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola also lost his Polling Unit 003, Ward 01, Okuku, Odo-Otin LGA, to Accord. Oyinlola had recently shifted his support from Adeleke to Oyebamiji.
Heavy turnout, peaceful voting
The results followed a largely peaceful election characterised by impressive voter turnout across the state, despite a tense build-up that had witnessed killings, violence and inflammatory comments by political actors.
Voters across the 30 local government areas turned out to elect the next occupant of the Bola Ige Government House for a four-year term.
Fifteen political parties were listed on the ballot, although two candidates had withdrawn from the race.
