Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party has secured a resounding re-election victory in Saturday's Osun State governorship election, winning 19 of the state's 30 Local Government Areas and defeating his closest rival, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress, by a margin of over 66,000 votes. The Independent National Electoral Commission officially declared the results on Sunday, August 16, 2026, following the conclusion of collation at the state headquarters in Osogbo, confirming Adeleke's victory with a total of 511,067 votes against Oyebamiji's 444,815 votes.
The final results show a clear mandate for the incumbent governor, who has now secured a second term in office after defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party to the Accord Party ahead of the election. Adeleke's victory was built on substantial wins across key areas, including the state capital Osogbo, where he polled 36,480 votes against Oyebamiji's 30,474. In Ede North, his home council, Adeleke delivered a landslide victory with 35,427 votes compared to Oyebamiji's 10,283. He also recorded strong performances in Ife East, Ife Central, Iwo, Egbedore and Ilesa West, among other areas.
The APC candidate, however, put up a spirited fight, winning 11 Local Government Areas, including his home council of Irewole, where he secured 29,972 votes against Adeleke's 10,934. Oyebamiji also recorded victories in Ilesa East, Boripe, Irepodun, Obokun, Atakumosa West, Atakumosa East, Isokan, Olaoluwa, Ife South and Olorunda. In Olorunda LGA, the APC edged out the Accord Party with 24,671 votes to 23,514, while in Ilesa East, Oyebamiji polled 16,208 votes against Adeleke's 12,280.
Several local government areas produced closely fought contests that highlighted the intensity of the race. In Boluwaduro, Adeleke narrowly defeated Oyebamiji by just 68 votes, polling 7,118 against 7,050. In Isokan, Oyebamiji edged Adeleke 14,063 to 13,765, while in Ejigbo, Adeleke secured 18,458 votes against Oyebamiji's 16,195. The African Democratic Congress candidate, Najeem Salaam, finished a distant third with 17,180 votes, with his strongest performance coming in Ejigbo where he polled 5,053 votes.
The Imole Campaign Council, Governor Adeleke's re-election organisation, has called on Oyebamiji to concede defeat in the spirit of sportsmanship. In a statement issued on Sunday, the council's spokesperson, Pelumi Olajengbesi, said the results from across the state clearly showed that the people of Osun had renewed their mandate for Adeleke. "The will of the people, as expressed through their votes, is clear and must be respected," the statement read. "An election is a contest in which the winner is decided by the electorate, not imposed on them." The council also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to remain faithful to the polling unit results and protect the will of the Osun people throughout the collation and declaration process.
The election was conducted across 3,763 polling units, with 2,339,233 registered voters. However, voter turnout was relatively low, with just over 50 per cent of registered voters turning out to cast their ballots. The election was also marked by reports of violence, technical glitches with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, and allegations of vote-buying, particularly in Ejigbo Local Government Area, where voters protested the alleged distribution of cash by political agents. Despite these challenges, INEC successfully collated and announced results from all 30 local government areas within 24 hours of the close of polls.
The victory is a significant political achievement for Adeleke, who has now secured a second term in office after a tumultuous campaign that saw him defect from the PDP to the Accord Party. The outcome also represents a setback for the APC, which had campaigned vigorously with the backing of President Bola Tinubu and several governors, including Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo. The results have been widely interpreted as a rejection of federal might by the people of Osun State, with Adeleke's victory solidifying his grip on the South-West state for another four years.
As the dust settles on the Osun governorship election, Governor Adeleke has thanked the people of Osun for their trust and confidence, promising to continue his administration's programmes of infrastructure development, educational reforms, and healthcare improvements. The victory, he said, was a victory for democracy and the will of the people. For the APC, the task now is to regroup and reassess its strategies ahead of the 2027 general elections, while the people of Osun look forward to another four years of the Adeleke administration.
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