Adeleke wins his polling unit but the real fight is in the collation

Governor Ademola Adeleke has won his polling unit in the ongoing Osun State governorship election, and vote counting is still underway across the state. The Independent National Electoral Commission has paused its live updates and will resume once results begin to be officially announced. This is the moment every politician in Osun has been waiting for, and the tension is thick enough to cut with a knife.

What strikes me is how much we invest in these elections, yet the real test is always in the collation centres. I have seen it happen too many times in Ibadan and across the South West, where the votes at the unit level tell one story and the final results tell another. We all remember the drama of past governorship battles in Osun, and this one is shaping up to be just as intense.

For a state that has seen its fair share of legal battles over mandates, the question on everyone's mind is whether INEC will deliver a transparent process this time. Will the will of the people prevail, or will we be in for another round of tribunal theatrics?