OSOGBO — The incumbent Governor of Osun State and candidate of the Accord Party, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has been declared the winner of the 2026 Osun State governorship election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Adeleke defeated his closest challenger, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, in the keenly contested election held across the 30 Local Government Areas of the state on Saturday, August 15, 2026.
According to the results announced by INEC at the state collation centre in Osogbo, Adeleke polled 511,067 votes, while Oyebamiji of the APC scored 444,815 votes. The candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Najeem Salaam, came a distant third with 17,180 votes.
The final results showed that Adeleke won 19 of the 30 Local Government Areas, while the APC candidate won 11 LGAs.
With the declaration, Adeleke has secured a second term as Governor of Osun State.
The election attracted 15 political parties, but the contest largely became a two-horse race between Adeleke and Oyebamiji as voting and collation progressed.
The result represents a significant political victory for Adeleke, who contested the election under the Accord Party after leaving the Peoples Democratic Party platform on which he won the 2022 governorship election.
The election also provides an opportunity for the people of Osun State to assess the performance of the Adeleke administration during its first term, particularly in the areas of infrastructure, road construction, healthcare, education, workers’ welfare and community development.
The outcome demonstrates once again that elections provide citizens with an opportunity to reward or reject political leadership based on their assessment of governance and performance.
As Governor Adeleke prepares for his second term, expectations will be high among the people of Osun State for greater delivery of democratic dividends, completion of ongoing projects and the implementation of programmes capable of improving the lives of residents across the state.
The victory also places a responsibility on the governor to consolidate on the achievements of his first tenure and ensure that his administration remains focused on inclusive development and accountability.
For the people of Osun, the ballot has spoken.
Chief Edet Isong
Publisher, Newsday Newspaper