National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, Rauf Aregbesola, suffered a defeat at his polling unit in Ilesa East Local Government Area of Osun State as the All Progressives Congress secured a decisive victory in Saturday’s governorship election.
Aregbesola, a former governor of Osun State, voted at Ifofin Ward 8, Unit 1, in Ilesa East Local Government Area during the election.
The result announced at the polling unit showed that the APC polled 256 votes to defeat Aregbesola’s ADC, which scored only 13 votes.
The Accord Party, the ruling party in Osun State, came second with 43 votes.
The result was announced after voting ended at the unit, where voters had turned out in large numbers to participate in the election.
Aregbesola had been actively involved in the Osun election campaign as the National Secretary of the ADC, which is part of the opposition political bloc seeking to challenge the major political parties in the state.
His defeat at his polling unit is therefore significant, given his political history in Osun and his position as one of the leading figures in the ADC.
Aregbesola governed Osun State between 2010 and 2018 under the platform of the APC before later moving into the Federal Government, where he served as Minister of Interior.
He subsequently became a leading figure in the ADC and emerged as the party’s National Secretary.
The ADC has been working to strengthen its position ahead of the 2027 general election, with the party presenting itself as an alternative to the established political parties.
The party’s involvement in the Osun governorship election has also been closely watched because of the political standing of its leading members in the state.
However, the results from Aregbesola’s polling unit showed strong support for the APC.
The result was recorded as collation continued at different polling units and centres across Osun State.
In another major result, the Accord Party won the polling unit where the National Treasurer of the Peoples Democratic Party, Diran Odeyemi, voted.
Odeyemi cast his ballot at Ward 1, Unit 2, Ibokun NUD Primary School, in Obokun Local Government Area.
The Accord Party secured 211 votes at the unit, while the APC polled 178 votes.
The result placed Accord ahead of the APC at the polling unit of the PDP national treasurer.
The PDP is the ruling party in Osun State, with Governor Ademola Adeleke seeking re-election in the governorship contest.
The performance of Accord at Odeyemi’s polling unit was therefore another notable result from the election, particularly because the unit was associated with a senior national official of the PDP.
The results from the two polling units highlighted the competitive nature of the election, with major parties winning in areas where prominent political figures cast their ballots.
The election was conducted across the 30 local government areas of Osun State, with voters choosing among candidates from several political parties.
The contest was closely watched because of the political importance of Osun and its potential implications for the 2027 general election.
Governor Adeleke was seeking to retain his seat, while the APC and other opposition parties campaigned to unseat him.
The ADC also participated in the contest, with its campaign focusing on the need for political change and an alternative to the established parties.
Voting across the state was largely peaceful, with a large turnout reported at several polling units.
Security agencies had deployed personnel across the state to maintain law and order and protect voters, electoral officials and materials.
The Independent National Electoral Commission supervised the election and began the process of collating results after voting ended.
Results from polling units were being transmitted and collated at ward and local government levels as political parties and their agents monitored the process.
The outcome at Aregbesola’s polling unit could attract attention because of his previous political influence in Osun State.
As governor from 2010 to 2018, Aregbesola played a major role in the state’s political affairs and was a key figure in the APC.
His movement to the ADC and his current position as National Secretary of the party have also increased his relevance in the opposition’s political activities.
Despite his political standing, however, the APC recorded a wide margin of victory at his polling unit, securing 256 votes against the ADC’s 13.
Accord’s 43 votes placed it behind the APC but ahead of the ADC at the unit.
At Odeyemi’s polling unit, the result was closer, although Accord still defeated the APC by 33 votes.
Accord polled 211 votes while the APC secured 178.
The results were among the early polling-unit outcomes emerging as collation continued across the state.
The final outcome of the election would depend on the combined results from all polling units across the 30 local government areas.
Electoral officials were expected to continue the collation process through the various levels before the final result was announced.
Political parties and their agents were also expected to monitor the process and raise any complaints through the appropriate channels.
The results from the polling units of Aregbesola and Odeyemi provided an early indication of the closely contested nature of the election, but they did not determine the overall winner.
Attention remained focused on the collation centres as INEC continued to receive and verify results from across Osun State.
The final result is expected to determine who will govern the state and shape the political direction of Osun ahead of the 2027 general election.