PDP wins all 30 LGAs in controversial Osun council poll

Nigeria’s opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has emerged victorious in all 30 local government areas (LGAs) in the Osun State council elections, securing every chairmanship and councillorship seat.

The announcement was made by the Chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), Hashim Abioye, during a press conference on Saturday.

The election, however, was not without controversy. Despite warnings from the police and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, to postpone the poll due to security concerns, OSSIEC proceeded with the exercise.

The commission cited a ruling by the Osun State High Court in Ilesa, which mandated the conduct of elections to fill the vacant positions of chairmen and councillors in the 30 LGAs.

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, who cast his vote in Ede North LGA, described the election as peaceful.

“The process has been very peaceful. I made a broadcast to my good people of Osun State that this election should be peaceful, there should be no violence because Osun State is a very peaceful state,” he said.

However, tensions were high leading up to the election.

The police had sealed OSSIEC’s headquarters in Osogbo and arrested some officials, prompting the commission to relocate to an undisclosed location to carry out its duties.

The police had earlier warned against holding the election, citing credible intelligence indicating a likelihood of violence.

The AGF also intervened, urging Governor Adeleke to halt the election.

Fagbemi referenced a February 10, 2025, ruling by the Court of Appeal in Akure, which nullified a previous Federal High Court decision from November 25, 2022.

The appellate court’s verdict effectively restored the All Progressives Congress (APC) local council chairmen who had been sacked by the lower court.

The political climate in Osun State has been volatile, with at least six fatalities reported since Monday due to clashes between APC and PDP members over control of local government councils.

Governor Adeleke had earlier accused APC members, allegedly backed by security agencies, of attempting to hijack council secretariats.

He called on President Bola Tinubu to caution APC minister Gboyega Oyetola, but the situation escalated nonetheless.

The PDP

The PDP is one of Nigeria’s major political parties, established in 1998.

It became the ruling party after Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999 and held power at the federal level for 16 consecutive years until 2015.

The party advocates for social democracy, economic development, and national unity, with a broad support base across the country’s six geopolitical zones.

Over the years, the PDP has produced several Nigerian presidents, including Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Yar’Adua, and Goodluck Jonathan.

Despite losing the presidency to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015, the PDP remains a dominant force in many states across Nigeria.

As of 2025, the PDP controls several states in Nigeria, including Delta, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Edo, Taraba, Osun, and Bauchi. These states are strongholds for the party, where it has consistently won gubernatorial and legislative elections.

In states like Rivers and Akwa Ibom, the PDP has maintained a firm grip on power, often winning elections by very significant margins.

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