OSOGBO, Osun State — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party winner of the 2026 Osun State governorship election, securing a second term in office after defeating his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The declaration was made early Sunday, August 16, by the Returning Officer for the election, Professor Joshua Ogunwole, at the INEC Collation Centre in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.

Adeleke polled 511,067 votes to defeat Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes, giving the incumbent governor a winning margin of 66,252 votes.

The candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Najeem Salaam, finished a distant third with 17,180 votes.

According to the final results announced by INEC, 1,010,684 voters were accredited, while 1,005,800 votes were cast across the 30 local government areas of the state.

The commission recorded 985,079 valid votes and 20,721 rejected votes.

Adeleke also secured victories in 19 of Osun’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won 11 LGAs.

Adeleke Wins Second Term on Accord Platform

The victory is particularly significant because Adeleke did not contest under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the platform on which he won the 2022 governorship election.

The governor defected from the PDP to the Accord Party in December 2025 and subsequently secured the party’s ticket for the 2026 election.

His re-election means Adeleke will remain in office for another four years, extending his administration in the South-West state.

The election featured candidates from 15 political parties and followed months of intense political campaigns, legal battles and heightened political tension across Osun.

Tight Race Between Adeleke and Oyebamiji

The election developed into a closely watched contest between the incumbent governor and Oyebamiji, the APC candidate.

As results from the 30 LGAs were collated, Adeleke gradually established a lead that ultimately proved sufficient to secure victory.

The final figures showed:

• Ademola Adeleke (Accord): 511,067 votes
• Bola Oyebamiji (APC): 444,815 votes
• Najeem Salaam (ADC): 17,180 votes

Adeleke’s final tally put him more than 66,000 votes ahead of his closest rival.

Election Held Amid Heightened Security

The governorship election took place on Saturday, August 15, amid heightened security across the state following concerns over possible violence during the campaign and voting period.

Security agencies deployed thousands of personnel across the state as authorities sought to prevent disruptions and ensure the peaceful conduct of the poll.

The election also attracted significant national attention because of the political stakes involved and the closely contested nature of the race.

SDP Inclusion Added Last-Minute Challenge

INEC’s preparations for the election were also complicated by a late legal development that resulted in the inclusion of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) on the ballot.

The development came after a court order directing the electoral commission to include the party in the election, forcing INEC to make last-minute adjustments to election materials and logistics.

Despite the late development, the commission said it was able to produce and distribute the additional sensitive materials before the election.

Adeleke Returns to Bola Ige House

With the final declaration, Adeleke has secured another four-year mandate from Osun voters.

His victory marks the continuation of his administration and confirms that he will remain the occupant of the Osun State Government House for another term.

The result is also a major boost for the Accord Party, which successfully defended the governorship against the APC despite the latter mounting a strong challenge across the state.

INEC’s declaration brings to an end the highly contested 2026 Osun governorship election and sets the stage for Adeleke’s second-term administration.

BONA NAIJA will continue to provide updates on the Osun election, including the full local government results, reactions from Adeleke and Oyebamiji, and responses from the Accord Party, APC and other political parties.

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