Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party has been re-elected Governor of Osun State, defeating the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, in Saturday’s keenly contested governorship election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Adeleke the winner early Sunday morning at the state collation centre in Osogbo, after results from all 30 local government areas had been collated.
INEC’s Returning Officer, Professor Joshua Ogunwole, announced that Adeleke polled 511,067 votes to defeat Oyebamiji, who secured 444,815 votes.
The Accord candidate therefore won by 66,252 votes.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Najeem Salaam, finished a distant third with 17,180 votes.
The result gives Adeleke a second term in office and marks his second consecutive governorship victory in Osun, although this time he contested under the Accord Party after leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Adeleke Takes 19 LGAs
The governor’s victory was underpinned by a strong performance across the state, with Accord winning 19 of Osun’s 30 local government areas, while the APC secured 11.
Adeleke’s winning LGAs included Boluwaduro, Ede South, Ife North, Ilesa West, Ifedayo, Ife Central, Orolu, Osogbo, Oriade, Odo-Otin, Ife East, Ifelodun, Iwo, Ede North, Ila, Aiyedire, Egbedore, Aiyedaade and Ejigbo.
Oyebamiji won in Ilesa East, Boripe, Irepodun, Obokun, Atakumosa West, Irewole, Atakumosa East, Isokan, Ola-Oluwa, Ife South and Olorunda.
Adeleke’s strongest showing came in several of his traditional political strongholds, including Osogbo and parts of the Ede and Ife axes, where the margins helped him withstand the APC’s strong performance in parts of the state. His largest local-government tally was recorded in Osogbo, where he polled 36,480 votes against Oyebamiji’s 30,474.
From PDP To Accord
Adeleke’s re-election is particularly significant because he did not contest on the PDP platform on which he won the 2022 election.
The governor moved to the Accord Party ahead of the 2026 poll, while the PDP did not field a candidate in the election. His decision to seek re-election under a different political platform became one of the central issues of the campaign.
The APC, meanwhile, entered the contest with Oyebamiji, a former Commissioner for Finance in Osun and immediate past Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority, as its candidate.
The contest was further complicated by political realignments and defections. A faction of the Osun PDP led by former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola had endorsed Oyebamiji shortly before the election, while a faction of the Accord Party also publicly backed the APC candidate.
Despite those developments, Adeleke succeeded in retaining enough of his political base to secure victory.
A Closely Watched Election
The election attracted considerable national attention as one of the major electoral contests ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The APC had mounted a strong challenge, with the party mobilising prominent national figures and presenting the election as an opportunity to reclaim Osun.
President Bola Tinubu had also urged voters before the election to turn out peacefully and exercise their franchise without fear, while Oyebamiji pledged inclusive governance if elected.
The campaign period was, however, marked by heightened political tension, allegations of violence and concerns over the neutrality of security agencies and the electoral process.
Election observers also raised concerns during Saturday’s voting over vote-buying, delays involving the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), isolated disruptions and accessibility challenges. The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room nevertheless described the overall voting environment as largely calm and peaceful despite the charged political atmosphere.
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The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) similarly reported concerns over alleged vote-buying, BVAS failures and attacks by political thugs at some polling units.
Adeleke’s 2022 Victory Revisited
Adeleke first became governor after defeating the then-incumbent APC governor, Gboyega Oyetola, in the 2022 governorship election.
He won that election with 403,371 votes, against Oyetola’s 375,027, on the PDP platform.
His 2026 victory therefore represents a second consecutive governorship election win, but with a considerably different political configuration and under the banner of a different party.
The latest result also strengthens Adeleke’s political position in Osun ahead of the 2027 elections and demonstrates his ability to transfer a substantial portion of his established electoral support from the PDP to Accord.
APC’s Strong Challenge Falls Short
For Oyebamiji and the APC, the outcome represents a significant setback after an aggressive campaign aimed at dislodging Adeleke.
Although the APC won 11 local government areas, including several areas regarded as important battlegrounds, its overall statewide vote remained 66,252 votes behind Adeleke.
The APC’s performance nevertheless demonstrated that it retained significant support across Osun, particularly in parts of the Ijesa, Osun West and Ife areas.
With the final declaration now made, Adeleke is set to continue in office for another four years.
His victory also makes him one of the few Nigerian governors to secure re-election after changing political platforms between election cycles.
For Osun voters, attention will now shift from the bitterly contested campaign to the delivery of the promises made by the competing parties, particularly on infrastructure, workers’ welfare, education, healthcare, security and economic development.
Adeleke’s second-term mandate begins against the backdrop of a sharply divided political landscape, but with the electorate having delivered a clear verdict at the ballot box.