Adeleke Wins Osun, Defeats Oyebamiji by 66,252 Votes

Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party has won the 2026 Osun State governorship election, securing a second term after defeating his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Adeleke the winner early Sunday after the completion of collation across the state’s 30 Local Government Areas.

The Returning Officer, Prof. Joshua Olalekan Ogunwole, announced that Adeleke polled 511,067 votes, while Oyebamiji secured 444,815 votes. Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) came third with 17,180 votes.

Adeleke defeated Oyebamiji by 66,252 votes in what was largely a two-horse contest between the Accord Party and APC.

The governor won 19 of Osun’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji secured 11. Salaam did not win any local government area.

According to the final figures announced by INEC, 1,010,684 voters were accredited, while 1,005,800 votes were cast. Of the votes cast, 985,079 were valid and 20,721 were rejected.

The election was conducted across 3,763 polling units in 332 registration areas, with 15 political parties participating.

The poll was, however, marked by reports of sporadic violence, gunshots, alleged ballot-box snatching, and arrests in some parts of the state.

In Osogbo, gunshots were reportedly heard at a polling unit in Ogo/Oluwa Kitan, with reports that voting was disrupted and a man was shot in the leg. There were also reports of electoral disruption in Ejigbo.

Security agencies also announced arrests linked to alleged electoral offences. The police said a serving member of the Osun State House of Assembly, Abiola Ibrahim Inaolaji, was arrested in Ikire alongside 146 suspected electoral mercenaries, with more than 200 Permanent Voter Cards reportedly recovered.

Despite the incidents, collation proceeded across the state, culminating in Adeleke’s declaration as winner.

The victory gives Adeleke another four-year mandate after he was first elected governor in 2022 on the platform of the PDP. He later defected to the Accord Party and contested the 2026 election on its platform.

With the result, Adeleke will remain in office for a second term as governor of Osun State.