OSOGBO — The incumbent Governor of Osun State and Accord Party candidate, Ademola Adeleke, has been declared the winner of the 2026 Osun State governorship election, defeating his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), by a margin of 66,252 votes.
Adeleke polled 511,067 votes, while Oyebamiji secured 444,815 votes, according to results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The returning officer, Professor Joshua Olalekan Ogunwole, declared Adeleke the winner on Sunday after the collation of results from all 30 local government areas of the state.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Najeem Salaam, finished a distant third with 17,180 votes.
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Adeleke Wins 19 LGAs
The governor’s victory was built on strong performances across several local government areas, particularly in his political strongholds.
Adeleke won 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while APC’s Oyebamiji won 11.
Among Adeleke’s strongest victories were Ede North, Ede South, Osogbo, Iwo, Ife East, Ife Central, Ife North, Egbedore and Oriade.
In Ede North, Adeleke secured 35,427 votes, against Oyebamiji’s 10,283, giving him a commanding margin of 25,144 votes.
The governor also dominated Ede South, where he polled 26,188 votes, compared with the APC’s 6,219 votes.
Together, Ede North and Ede South gave Adeleke 61,615 votes, against APC’s 16,502, translating into a massive 45,113-vote advantage from the two local government areas.
Osogbo Boosts Adeleke’s Lead
The state capital, Osogbo, also contributed significantly to Adeleke’s victory.
The governor polled 36,480 votes in Osogbo Local Government Area, while Oyebamiji recorded 30,474 votes.
Adeleke therefore won Osogbo by 6,006 votes, maintaining his advantage in one of the state’s most politically significant urban centres.
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The ADC scored 1,503 votes in Osogbo, its strongest performance among the supplied results.
Adeleke Dominates the Ife Axis
The Ife axis also played a crucial role in the governor’s re-election.
Adeleke won Ife East with 27,201 votes against Oyebamiji’s 18,600, giving him an 8,601-vote margin.
In Ife Central, Adeleke recorded 21,171 votes against APC’s 15,913, while in Ife North, he secured 13,879 votes against 9,613.
Although APC won Ife South with 14,678 votes against Adeleke’s 13,507, the combined results from the four Ife councils still favoured the governor.
Across the four local government areas, Adeleke amassed 75,758 votes, while APC recorded 58,804, giving the Accord candidate a combined advantage of 16,954 votes.
APC Wins 11 LGAs Despite Defeat
Despite losing the overall contest, APC remained a formidable force, securing victory in 11 local government areas.
Oyebamiji won Ilesa East, Boripe, Irepodun, Obokun, Atakumosa West, Irewole, Atakumosa East, Isokan, Olaoluwa, Ife South and Olorunda.
The APC’s strongest showing came in Irewole, where Oyebamiji polled 29,972 votes, compared with Adeleke’s 10,934, giving APC a margin of 19,038 votes.
In Boripe, Oyebamiji secured 19,963 votes against Adeleke’s 12,448, while in Obokun, APC recorded 16,120 votes against 12,023.
However, the margins recorded by APC in its strongholds were not enough to erase the larger advantages Adeleke accumulated in several of his own strongholds.
The Mathematics Behind Adeleke’s Victory
The election results highlight the importance of vote margins in determining statewide victories.
Although Adeleke won eight more local government areas than Oyebamiji, the decisive factor was not simply the number of councils won but the size of the margins recorded in those areas.
Adeleke’s huge victories in Ede North and Ede South, for instance, created a substantial cushion that APC struggled to overcome.
His victories in Osogbo, the Ife axis, Egbedore, Iwo and Oriade further widened the gap.
In Iwo, Adeleke polled 27,085 votes, against Oyebamiji’s 19,660, producing a margin of 7,425 votes.
In Egbedore, the governor secured 19,278 votes against APC’s 11,194, while Oriade gave Adeleke 21,343 votes against Oyebamiji’s 14,863.
These margins accumulated across the state and ultimately produced Adeleke’s 66,252-vote statewide advantage.
Adeleke Thanks Tinubu, Awaits Oyebamiji’s Call
Reacting to his victory, Governor Adeleke expressed appreciation to God and thanked President Bola Tinubu for congratulating him.
Adeleke said the President personally called to congratulate him on his victory, describing the election as a victory for democracy and the people of Osun State.
He also commended Tinubu for ensuring that democracy continues to thrive.
“I want to seize this opportunity to thank Mr. President. He has called me and he has congratulated me. Thank you Mr. President for making sure democracy lives on because you fought for it,” Adeleke said.
The governor also appealed for unity following the election, saying there was “no victor, no vanquished.”
He added that he expected the APC candidate, Oyebamiji, to call and congratulate him.
A Clear Mandate for Adeleke
With 511,067 votes against APC’s 444,815, Adeleke’s victory represents a decisive statewide mandate.
The results show that while APC maintained strong support across several parts of Osun, Adeleke’s ability to secure large vote margins in key local government areas ultimately proved decisive.
The 2026 Osun governorship election has therefore demonstrated a familiar reality of electoral politics: winning more local government areas is not enough; the size of the victory in each area can determine the final outcome.
For Adeleke, the overwhelming margins recorded in Ede, combined with strong performances in Osogbo, Ife, Iwo, Egbedore and other areas, provided the numerical advantage that secured his re-election for another term as governor of Osun State.
