Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has secured a second term in office after winning the governorship election held across the state on Saturday, August 18, 2026.
Adeleke, who contested on the platform of the Accord, polled 511,067 votes to defeat his closest challenger, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who garnered 444,815 votes.
The State Returning Officer for the election and Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Professor Joshua Ogunwole, declared Adeleke the winner at about 7:24 a.m. on Sunday, August 19, 2026.
The result showed that Adeleke won in 19 local government areas, while Oyebamiji secured victory in 11 LGAs.
Adeleke 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 Ayedire local government areas.
Oyebamiji, however, won in Irewole, Isokan, Olorunda, Atakumosa East, Atakumosa West, Ilesa East, Boripe, Irepodun and Obokun local government areas, among others.
The candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Najeem Salaam, finished third in the election.
According to the figures announced by the returning officer, 1,010,684 voters were accredited, while the total valid votes stood at 985,079. The total votes cast were 1,005,800, with 20,721 votes recorded as rejected votes.
Declaring the result, Ogunwole announced that Adeleke had satisfied the requirements of the law and was therefore returned elected.
“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,” he said.
The declaration followed the signing of the election results by agents of the participating political parties.
Shortly after his declaration as winner, Adeleke expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his role in the election and called on his closest rival, Oyebamiji, to congratulate him.
Speaking, the governor said the election should not be viewed as a contest that produced a victor and a vanquished.
Responding to a question on whether he would extend an olive branch to his opponents, Adeleke said he expected Oyebamiji to reach out to him.
“Yes. This is no victor, no vanquished. I want them to come over. I am expecting Oyebamiji to even, as a civilised person, to call me and congratulate me,” he said.
The governor also disclosed that President Tinubu had called to congratulate him on his victory.
“And of course, I want to seize this opportunity to thank Mr President. Mr President has called me and he has congratulated me. And I thank you, Mr President, for making sure democracy lives on, because you fought for it, Mr President,” Adeleke said.
Asked whether he had entertained fears that he might lose the election, Adeleke attributed his confidence to his faith.
“No, no, no. You know, I have an answer to that. I have a God who never fails. I have a God who never fails. I have a God who never fails. He never fails. Jesus never fails forevermore,” he said.
With the declaration, Adeleke will continue as governor of Osun State for another term, following his victory over the APC candidate in the keenly contested poll.
