By Ayodele Oni
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, who has just been relected for second term at Saturday’s election, has stated that the victory was not about him alone, but a victory for democracy and the people of Osun State.
In his first reaction, Adeleke gave all the glory to God, insisting that voters rewarded his administration for what he described as visible progress in infrastructure, education and agriculture.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), in the early hours of Sunday, August 16, 2026, declared Adeleke candidate of Accord Party, winner in Saturday’s Governorship Election in the State.
INEC’s Presiding officer, Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) Prof Lekan Ogunwole, announced the winner of the election. Even before the announcement, over-joyed Osun people had started celebrating.
In the results announced, Governor Adeleke polled 511,067 votes to defeat his bitterest challenger and candidate of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes and the Najeem Salam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) with 17,180 votes to place distant third.
The ADC and the other 12 Political Parties had no business in the contest. They performed woefully and could be described as mere onlookers.
Out of the 30 Local Government Areas, Adeleke emerged victorious in 19, while Oyebamiji of the APC clinched 11 LGAs.
According to Adeleke, the message from the people was clear: they had seen the impact of his government and were willing to give him another term.
While he did not unveil fresh policy details, Adeleke signalled that his administration would continue along the path established during his first tenure.
The victory further cements Adeleke’s hold on Osun politics, while handing the opposition a major defeat in one of South-West’s most fiercely contested states.
While INEC has yet to issue the Certificate of Return, celebrations had already erupted in Ede, Adeleke’s hometown. Supporters were seen dancing in the streets chanting “Imole ti de.”
Adeleke, who defected from PDP to Accord Party earlier this year, campaigned on consolidating his welfare programmes, infrastructure projects, and grassroots empowerment.
Saturday’s election recorded total valid votes of 985,079, rejected ballots: 20,721 with total votes cast standing at 1,005,800
The turn out was far from being impressive. From 2,339,544 registered voters, 1,010,684 were accredited — a turnout of 43.2%.
Adeleke carried 19 of 30 LGAs, including his strongholds of Ede, Osogbo, Ilesa, and Iwo. Oyebamiji won 11 LGAs, but couldn’t overcome Adeleke’s margins in the populous urban centres.
The 66,252-vote gap is one of the widest in a competitive Osun governorship contest in the last decade.
The result is a massive blow to the APC. The party had thrown everything at Osun. The National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda called it a “must-win.”
A 276-member campaign council led by Governor Hope Uzodimma was deployed. Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, Minister Adegboyega Oyetola, and several governors stormed Osogbo for the mega rally. They all descended on the State in what looked like trying to kill an ant with a sledge hammer.
As the outcome tilted heavily towards an Adeleke victory, APC leaders were seen leaving the state late Saturday.
“This was a referendum on performance, not party structure,” a political analyst in Osogbo had declared. Another said: “It is a dress rehearsal for 2027.”
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