The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the incumbent governor of Osun State and Accord Party candidate, Ademola Adeleke, winner of the 2026 governorship election.
Adeleke polled 511,067 votes to defeat his closest challenger, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who secured 444,815 votes.
The result gave Adeleke a winning margin of 66,252 votes.
The Returning Officer, Prof. Joshua Olalekan Ogunwole, announced the final result on Sunday after the completion of collation from the state’s 30 local government areas.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Najeem Salaam, finished third with 17,180 votes.
Reacting to his victory, Adeleke described the outcome as a victory for democracy and the people of Osun State. He also thanked President Bola Tinubu, saying the President had called to congratulate him.
“I want to seize this opportunity to thank Mr. President. He has called me and he has congratulated me. Thank you Mr. President for making sure democracy lives on because you fought for it,” Adeleke said.
The governor also expressed appreciation to God and said he expected Oyebamiji to call and congratulate him, stressing that there was “no victor, no vanquished.”
Adeleke Takes 19 LGAs
According to results announced by INEC, Adeleke won 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji secured 11.
Adeleke recorded some of his strongest performances in Ede North, where he polled 35,427 votes against Oyebamiji’s 10,283, and Osogbo, where he secured 36,480 votes against 30,474.
He also won Ede South with 26,188 votes to Oyebamiji’s 6,219; Iwo with 27,085 to 19,660; Ife East with 27,201 to 18,600; and Ife Central with 21,171 to 15,913.
Other local governments won by Adeleke were Ifelodun, Oriade, Egbedore, Odo Otin, Ilesa West, Ila, Ayedaade, Ife North, Orolu, Boluwaduro, Ayedire, Ifedayo and Ejigbo.
In Boluwaduro, however, the contest was particularly close, with Adeleke polling 7,118 votes against Oyebamiji’s 7,050.
APC Wins 11 LGAs
Oyebamiji won 11 local government areas, including several areas regarded as strongholds of the APC.
His victories included Irewole, where he recorded 29,972 votes against Adeleke’s 10,934, giving him a margin of 19,038 votes.
The APC candidate also won Boripe with 19,963 votes against Adeleke’s 12,448, a margin of 7,515 votes.
Other LGAs won by Oyebamiji were Ilesa East, Irepodun, Obokun, Atakumosa West, Atakumosa East, Isokan, Olaoluwa, Ife South and Olorunda.
The ADC recorded significantly lower figures across the state, although Salaam secured his strongest showing in the supplied results in Ejigbo, where he polled 5,053 votes.
Margins Shape the Final Outcome
The decisive feature of the election was the size of the margins recorded by the two candidates in their respective strongholds.
Although Oyebamiji won 11 LGAs, several of Adeleke’s victories produced substantial vote margins that helped the incumbent build a statewide advantage.
The Ede axis was particularly significant, with Adeleke recording wide leads in Ede North and Ede South. Those margins, combined with his victories in other local governments, helped offset APC’s strong performances in areas such as Irewole and Boripe.
The result demonstrates the importance of aggregate votes in a statewide election. A candidate does not need to win a majority of local government areas to emerge victorious; the decisive factor is the total number of votes secured across the state.
Adeleke’s 511,067 votes ultimately placed him 66,252 votes ahead of Oyebamiji, giving the incumbent governor another term in office.
