Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has officially declared Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party the winner of the Osun State governorship election, handing the incumbent a resounding second-term victory over his closest rival, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress. The declaration, made in the early hours of Sunday, August 16, 2026, by the Returning Officer, Professor Joshua Olalekan Ogunwole, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, brings to a close one of the most fiercely contested off-cycle governorship elections in Nigeria's recent history.
Adeleke polled a total of 511,067 votes, defeating Oyebamiji, who secured 444,815 votes, a margin of 66,252 votes. The African Democratic Congress candidate, Najeem Salaam, finished a distant third with 17,180 votes. The governor, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the Accord Party ahead of the election, won in 19 of the state's 30 local government areas, while the APC candidate secured victories in 11 local government areas.
The final results, announced at the INEC headquarters in Osogbo, the state capital, showed that Adeleke's victory was built on substantial wins across key areas. In his home council of Ede North, the governor delivered a landslide victory with 35,427 votes against Oyebamiji's 10,283. He also recorded strong performances in Osogbo, the state capital, where he polled 36,480 votes against Oyebamiji's 30,474, and in Ife East, where he secured 27,201 votes against the APC candidate's 18,600. Other notable victories for Adeleke included Iwo, where he polled 27,085 votes against Oyebamiji's 19,660; Egbedore, where he won 19,278 votes against 11,194; and Ife Central, where he secured 21,171 votes against 15,913.
Oyebamiji, however, put up a spirited fight, winning his home council of Irewole with 29,972 votes against Adeleke's 10,934. He 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.
According to the Returning Officer, the total number of registered voters for the election was 2,339,544, with 1,010,684 accredited to vote. The total number of valid votes cast was 985,097, while 20,721 votes were rejected. The total number of ballots cast was 1,005,800. Professor Ogunwole declared Adeleke the winner, stating that the governor had satisfied the requirements of the law by scoring the highest number of votes and obtaining a two-thirds majority in two-thirds of the 30 local government areas of the state.
The declaration was met with wild jubilation across Osogbo and other parts of the state, as supporters of the Accord Party poured into the streets singing victory songs. Residents who spoke to journalists commended the Independent National Electoral Commission for a job well done and praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for giving the electoral umpire a free hand, particularly for his intervention when the state government's account was frozen. Civil servants also expressed their support for Adeleke, citing the governor's commitment to workers' welfare as a key factor in his victory.
The election, which featured 15 political parties, was conducted across 3,763 polling units on Saturday, August 15, 2026. Despite reports of isolated violence, technical glitches with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, and allegations of vote-buying, particularly in Ejigbo Local Government Area, INEC successfully collated and announced results from all 30 local government areas within 24 hours of the close of polls. The outcome represents 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 victory also represents a setback for the APC, which had campaigned vigorously with the backing of President 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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