Governor Adeleke Wins Osun Governorship Election, Secures 2nd Term

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has been declared the winner of the 2026 governorship election after defeating his closest challenger, the All Progressives Congress (APC ) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji.

The State Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Joshua Ogunwole, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, announced Governor Adeleke as the winner at about 7:24 am on Sunday.

Adeleke, who contested on the platform of the Accord Party, secured 511,067 votes to emerge victorious in the election held across the 30 local government areas of Osun State on Saturday.

His victory means the incumbent governor will remain in office for another term.

Oyebamiji of the APC came second with 444,815 votes, while the African Democratic Congress candidate, Najeem Salaam, finished third with 17,180 votes.

According to the results announced by INEC, Adeleke won in 19 local government areas, while Oyebamiji secured victory in 11.

The governor recorded victories in Ede North, Ede South, Ejigbo, Iwo, Egbedore, Ife North, Ife East, Ife Central, Oriade, Ifelodun, Orolu, Ayedaade, Ayedire, Odo Otin, Boluwaduro, Ilesa West, Ifedayo, Osogbo and another local government area listed in the declaration.

Oyebamiji, meanwhile, won in Irewole, Isokan, Olorunda, Atakumosa East, Atakumosa West, Ilesa East, Boripe, Irepodun and Obokun, among the local government areas announced by the returning officer.

Declaring the final result, Ogunwole said a total of 1,010,684 voters were accredited, while 1,005,800 votes were cast.

The election produced 985,079 valid votes, with 20,707 votes rejected, according to the figures announced at the collation centre.

The returning officer subsequently declared Adeleke duly elected after representatives of the participating political parties signed the election results.

Ogunwole said, “That Ademola Nurudeen-Jackson Adeleke having satisfied the requirements of the law is hereby declared the winner of the August 15 governorship election and returned elected.”

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The declaration brings to an end the closely watched Osun governorship contest, which had attracted significant attention from political parties, their supporters and voters across the state.

Adeleke’s victory also marks the latest chapter in his political career after he secured another mandate from Osun voters to continue governing the state.

The 2026 election featured several candidates, but the contest was largely dominated by Adeleke and Oyebamiji, with the two candidates emerging as the leading contenders during the final collation of results.

The result was declared in the early hours of Sunday after INEC completed the collation of results from the 30 local government areas.