Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has won re-election, defeating the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, in Saturday’s governorship election.
Adeleke, who contested on the platform of the Accord Party, polled 511,067 votes, representing 50.8 per cent of the total votes cast, while Oyebamiji secured 444,815 votes, or 44.2 per cent.
The State Returning Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joshua Ogunwole, declared Adeleke the winner after he secured victory in 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas. Oyebamiji won in the remaining 11.
INEC data showed that 2,339,233 voters were registered for the election, while 1,005,800 votes were cast. A total of 20,721 ballots were rejected.
Adeleke, who won his first term in 2022 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, defected to the Accord Party in December 2025 amid internal disputes within the PDP. He cited the party’s leadership crisis and said Accord’s focus on welfare aligned with his administration’s priorities.
The APC mounted a major campaign to reclaim the state, mobilising several governors, federal officials and party leaders. The party had governed Osun for 12 consecutive years before Adeleke defeated its candidate, Adegboyega Oyetola, in the 2022 election.
Afrobeats star Davido, Adeleke’s nephew, also played a prominent role in mobilising support for the governor, particularly among young voters. He repeatedly urged supporters to remain vigilant during the election and expressed confidence in Adeleke’s victory.
President Bola Tinubu congratulated Adeleke on his re-election and described the result as a reflection of the will of Osun voters. He also commended INEC, security agencies and other contestants for their roles in the election.
Adeleke, in his victory remarks, thanked Tinubu for what he described as his commitment to a free and fair election. He also reaffirmed his earlier endorsement of the President for a second term in 2027, although his campaign council said the endorsement was not based on any political agreement.
The Osun APC, however, said it was reviewing the results across the state and would consult its legal team before deciding whether to challenge the outcome. The Inter-Party Advisory Council congratulated Adeleke but expressed concern over reports of vote-buying, describing the practice as a threat to electoral integrity.
