Governor Ademola Adeleke has secured re-election as governor of Osun State, defeating the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, in a closely contested governorship election held on Saturday.
Adeleke, who contested under the Accord Party after leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), 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 (INEC), Prof. Joshua Ogunwole, declared Adeleke the winner after he secured victories in 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas.
Oyebamiji won in the remaining 11 local government areas.
Adeleke won in Ede North, Ede South, Ejigbo, Iwo, Egbedore, Ife North, Ife East, Ife Central, Oriade, Ifelodun, Orolu, Ayedaade, Odo Otin, Boluwaduro, Ilesa West, Ifedayo, Osogbo and Ayedire.
Oyebamiji, on the other hand, prevailed in Ilesa East, Boripe, Irepodun, Obokun, Atakunmosa West, Irewole, Atakunmosa East, Isokan, Ola Oluwa, Ife South and Olorunda.
Declaring the result, Ogunwole said: “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.”
INEC figures showed that Osun had 2,339,233 registered voters, with 1,005,800 votes cast, representing a turnout of about 43 per cent. A total of 20,721 ballots were rejected.
Adeleke’s Move From PDP to Accord
Adeleke’s re-election marks a major shift in Osun’s political landscape.
The governor won his first term in office in 2022 on the platform of the PDP, defeating the then incumbent APC candidate, Adegboyega Oyetola, with 403,371 votes against Oyetola’s 375,027.
However, internal disagreements within the PDP prompted Adeleke to resign from the party in December 2025 and join the Accord Party.
In his resignation letter, addressed to the PDP chairman of Ward 2, Sagba Abogunde, in Ede North Local Government Area, Adeleke cited the crisis within the party’s national leadership.
He said he chose Accord because of its emphasis on welfarism, which he said aligned with his administration’s focus on the welfare of citizens and workers.
APC Mobilises Heavyweights
The APC mounted an aggressive campaign to reclaim Osun State, deploying several governors, federal officials and senior party figures ahead of the election.
The party had controlled Osun for 12 consecutive years, beginning with Rauf Aregbesola’s emergence as governor in 2010 and continuing through Oyetola’s tenure, which ended in 2022.
Oyetola, who currently serves as Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, returned to the state as a key strategist for the APC campaign.
Several APC governors and national leaders, including Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe, Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos and Bassey Otu of Cross River, were also involved in the party’s campaign efforts.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas were among other prominent APC figures who campaigned in the state.
Despite the extensive mobilisation, the APC failed to dislodge Adeleke from his political stronghold.
Davido’s Role in Adeleke’s Campaign
The governor also received significant support from his nephew, Afrobeats superstar David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido.
Davido played an active role in mobilising young voters and using his social media platforms to campaign for his uncle and raise concerns over alleged attempts to intimidate opposition supporters.
In a post on X before the election, the singer urged members of the Accord Party to remain vigilant, alleging that some of its supporters could be targeted for arrest.
On election day, Davido also criticised the alleged deployment of security personnel, declaring that he would never support the APC.
Tinubu Congratulates Adeleke
President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Adeleke on his re-election, describing the result as a reflection of the confidence the people of Osun State have in the governor.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu commended the contestants, INEC and security agencies for their roles in the election.
The President urged Adeleke to use his second term to unite the people of Osun and pursue economic and social development irrespective of their political affiliations.
Adeleke Thanks Tinubu, Reaffirms 2027 Support
Following his victory, Adeleke thanked President Tinubu for what he described as his commitment to a free and peaceful election.
The governor disclosed that Tinubu had personally called to congratulate him on his victory.
Adeleke also reaffirmed his support for Tinubu’s bid for a second term in 2027, describing the President as a son of Osun State.
“I must deeply appreciate Mr President, His Excellency Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his strong support for a free and fair election,” Adeleke said.
“Mr President is a son of Osun State, and I hereby reaffirm my earlier endorsement of him for a second term in the 2027 presidential election.”
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, subsequently congratulated Adeleke and praised him for endorsing Tinubu.
Keyamo described Adeleke as a man of integrity and said, “Agreement is agreement.”
However, Adeleke’s campaign council rejected suggestions of a political agreement between the governor and the President.
Its spokesperson, Pelumi Olajengbesi, said Adeleke’s support for Tinubu was based on the President’s performance and reforms and not the result of any political deal.
Osun APC Considers Legal Challenge
The APC has indicated that it may challenge the election result.
The party said it was reviewing results from all 332 wards in the state before deciding on its next course of action.
In a statement by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, the party stressed that an election process does not end with INEC’s declaration, noting that dissatisfied parties have constitutional avenues to seek redress.
The APC urged its supporters to remain calm while its legal team reviews the outcome of the poll.
IPAC Raises Concern Over Vote Buying
Meanwhile, the Osun State chapter of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) congratulated Adeleke on his victory and commended voters, INEC and security agencies for their roles in the election.
However, the council expressed concern over reports of voter inducement, warning that vote buying poses a threat to the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process.
IPAC urged stakeholders to strengthen measures against electoral malpractice and ensure that future elections more effectively reflect the genuine choices of voters.
Adeleke’s victory ultimately preserves the political shift that began in Osun in 2022, while his defection from the PDP and successful re-election under the Accord banner has introduced a new dimension to the state’s traditionally competitive political landscape.
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