The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the incumbent Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, winner of the 2026 governorship election held on Saturday.
Adeleke, candidate of the Accord Party, polled 511,067 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who secured 444,815 votes, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Najeem Salaam, came third with 17,180 votes.
The INEC Returning Officer for the election, Professor Joshua Olalekan Ogunwole, announced the result on Sunday, August 16, following the completion of collation across the state’s 30 Local Government Areas.
According to the final figures, “2,339,544 voters were registered for the election, while 1,010,684 were accredited. A total of 1,005,800 votes were cast, comprising 985,079 valid votes and 20,721 rejected votes.”
Adeleke won in 19 of the 30 Local Government Areas, while Oyebamiji won in 11, leaving Salaam of the ADC without a Local Government Area.
The Govenror recorded victories in Ife Central, Orolu, Boluwaduro, Ede South, Ife North, Ilesa West, Ifedayo, Osogbo, Oriade, Odo-Otin, Ife East, Ifelodun, Iwo, Ede North, Ila, Ayedire, Egbedore, Ayedaade and Ejigbo.
Oyebamiji, however, won in Irepodun, Boripe, Obokun, Ilesa East, Irewole, Atakumosa West, Atakumosa East, Isokan, Ola-Oluwa, Ife South and Olorunda.
The election was conducted across the 30 Local Government Areas, 332 Registration Areas and 3,763 Polling Units in the state.
The exercise attracted significant attention from key stakeholders, including INEC, political parties, security agencies, local and international observers and the media, particularly as the last off-cycle poll before the 2027 general elections.
Ahead of the election, INEC reported that 1,906,390 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) had been collected by registered voters in the state.
The figure represented 81.50 per cent of the 2,339,233 registered voters in the state, while 426,842 PVCs, representing 18.50 per cent, remained uncollected.
In the last Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, Osun State recorded the highest number of new registrations, with 208,357 new voters, followed by Kano with 159,669 and Sokoto with 152,650.
The election was conducted in all 30 Local Government Areas, including Modakeke Area Office, and across the 332 Registration Areas and 3,763 Polling Units.
A total of 15 political parties participated in the poll. They included Ademola Adeleke of Accord; Olanrewaju Farinloye of AA; Olajide Esan of AAC; Najeem Salaam of ADC; Yemisi Opawoye of ADP; Bola Oyebamiji of APC; Clement Adesuyi of APP; Masilo Adeleke of BP; Taofeek Adeleke of NNPP; Saliu Oyelami of PRP; Francis Olugbenga Ajala of SDP; Olalekan Ogunsakin of YPP; and Olufemi Adesuyi of ZLP.
With the declaration, Adeleke will continue as Governor of Osun State for another four-year term.
Reacting to the declaration, the Accord Party agent, Pelumi Olajengbesi, thanked President Bola Tinubu for providing a level playing field for the election.
Olajengbesi also thanked INEC for being impartial and the electorate for voting for Adeleke for the second time.
The Election Summary;
- Number of Registered Voters: 2,339,233
- Number of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collected: 1,906,390
- 1,906,390 representimg 81.50 per cent of the 2,339,233 registered voters in the state.
- Number of Registration Areas 332 (RAs)
- Polling Units (PUs) 3,763
- 30 Local Government areas of the state and the Modakeke Area Office.
- 15 Political Parties
- Total Registered Voter: 2,339,544
- Accredited votes: 1,010,684
- Total Votes Cast: 1,005,800
- Total Valid Votes: 985,079
- Rejected Votes: 20,721
- Votes Received: Accord: 511,067,
- ADC: 17,180,
- APC: 444,815
 has declared the incumbent Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, winner of the 2026){kind=link}