APC Leaders Flee Osun As Adeleke intensifies Oyebamiji deafeat with 73,809 Votes Gap

●“Must-Win” Election Slips Away, Uzodimma Campaign Under Fire

The APC war room in Osun has emptied out.

With results showing Governor Ademola Adeleke pulling further ahead, top All Progressives Congress*ù leaders including National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda have reportedly left the state late Saturday night, conceding in all but name that the “must-win” governorship election is slipping away.

—LEADERS PACK BAGS, BASE CAMP QUIET—

A source within the APC delegation confirmed that Yilwatda and other senior party chieftains departed Osogbo after reviewing emerging results and monitoring collation centers. More members of the delegation are expected to leave on Sunday.

The quiet exit has triggered panic and recriminations inside the party.

“Leaders don’t leave when they think they can still win,” an APC chieftain stated. “This looks like surrender.”

—THE NUMBERS: ADELEKE WIDENS THE GAP—

As of the latest collation from 3,590 of 3,763 polling units, the race looks decisive:

<span;><span;>- Accord Party – Ademola Adeleke: 508,143 votes — 52.32%

<span;><span;>- APC – Bola Oyebamiji: 434,334 votes

<span;><span;>- Margin: 73,809 votes

ADC’s Najeem Salaam trails far behind in third.

On INEC’s IReV portal, 3,607 of 3,763 polling unit results had been uploaded as of 1:33am Sunday — 95.85%.

INEC has yet to formally declare a winner as collation of the outstanding 156 units continues.

—“MUST-WIN” BECOMES MUST-EXPLAIN—

The defeat, if confirmed, will sting deeply for the APC.

National Chairman Yilwatda had publicly called Osun a “must-win” mmand a critical test ahead of 2027.

To that end, the party assembled a 276-member national campaign council in July:

<span;><span;>- Chairman: Imo Governor Hope Uzodimma

<span;><span;>- Co-Chairmen: Yobe Governor Mai Mala Buni, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas

<span;><span;>- DG: Wole Oke

The full federal weight was on display Thursday at the mega rally in Osogbo attended by Akpabio, Yilwatda, Uzodimma, Abbas, and Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Adegboyega Oyetola, alongside several APC governors.

It wasn’t enough.

—BLAME GAME BEGINS INSIDE APC—

With defeat looming, fingers are already pointing inward.

Party members are reportedly questioning the effectiveness of the campaign structure led by Governor Hope Uzodimma.

There are also growing calls for Uzodimma and some members of the council to be excluded from prominent roles in President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 campaign organisation.

“The structure was top-heavy and disconnected from the grassroots,” a party source said. “You can’t import a campaign and expect Osun people to buy it.”

—WHAT IT MEANS—

Osun was supposed to be APC’s comeback. Instead, it may become the first major referendum on Tinubu’s administration — and the party failed it.

Adeleke, who defected from PDP to the Accord Party ahead of the poll, appears set to secure a second term and hand APC its most embarrassing loss since 2023.

For the APC, the questions now are not about Osun alone. They are about 2027:
If a “must-win” with all the governors, ministers, and national officers deployed can still be lost by 73,000 votes, what happens next?

For now, the leaders have left. The votes are counted.

And in Osogbo, it looks like Imole is dancing home again.