Osun Election 2026: Adeleke’s Supporters Jubilate In Osogbo As INEC Declares Him Winner

Jubilation erupted in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, following the declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Governor Ademola Adeleke as the winner of the August 15 Osun governorship election.

The governor’s supporters trooped onto the streets of the state capital, singing victory songs.

INEC, in the early hours of Sunday, declared Adeleke, the candidate of Accord (A), the winner of the governorship election, securing his second term in office.

Announcing the result at the INEC headquarters in Osogbo on Sunday, the governorship election Returning Officer, Prof. Joshua Olalekan Ogunwale, said Adeleke scored 511,067 votes to defeat the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes.

According to him, the third-place candidate, Dr. Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Party, scored 17,180 votes.

Giving a breakdown of the election, Prof. Ogunwale stated that the total number of registered voters was 2,339,544; the number of accredited voters was 1,010,684; the total number of valid votes was 985,097; the number of rejected votes was 20,721, while the total number of ballots cast was 1,005,800.

The Returning Officer said that, by the powers vested in him, he declared Adeleke the winner of the election, having scored the highest number of votes and obtained a two-thirds majority in two-thirds of the 30 local government areas of the state.

In his words: “I, Prof. Joshua Olalekan Ogunwale, hereby declare the candidate of Accord, Ademola Jackson Adeleke, the winner of the election, having satisfied the requirements.”

Shortly after the announcement, his supporters took to the streets to celebrate.

Speaking, a resident, Taiwo Oloyede, who expressed happiness at the outcome of the election, commended INEC for a job well done.

He also commended President Bola Tinubu for giving the electoral umpire a free hand and particularly for his intervention when the state government’s account was frozen.

Also speaking, Odunola Omojola, a civil servant, said Adeleke deserved a second term because the welfare of workers was of paramount importance to him.

According to him, the backing of Adeleke by the Osun workforce contributed to the governor’s victory.

ENDS