By Gabriel Ameh
Osogbo, Osun State | August 16, 2026
Governor Ademola Adeleke has been re-elected as Governor of Osun State after defeating his closest challenger, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, in the 2026 governorship election.
Adeleke, the Accord Party candidate, secured 511,067 votes, while Oyebamiji polled 444,815 votes, giving the incumbent governor a winning margin of 66,252 votes.
The result was announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the state collation centre in Osogbo on Sunday, August 16, following the completion of the collation of results from the 30 local government areas. The Returning Officer, Prof. Joshua Olalekan Ogunwole, formally declared Adeleke the winner.
Adeleke also secured victory in 19 of the 30 local government areas in the state, while Oyebamiji won 11 LGAs.
Speaking after his victory, Adeleke thanked the people of Osun State for their confidence in his administration and for supporting his re-election bid.
The governor also acknowledged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for congratulating him on his victory, describing the election as a mandate that comes with greater responsibility.
Adeleke called for unity after the election, saying there was “no winner, no vanquished” and expressing his willingness to work with the other candidates who contested the election.
He also said he expected his closest rival, Oyebamiji, to congratulate him following the outcome of the poll.
Looking ahead to his second term, Adeleke said his administration would focus on transforming Osun from what he described as a largely civil-service-dependent state into an industrialised state, with greater emphasis on economic development and opportunities for residents.
The governor attributed his victory to God and thanked the electorate for giving him another mandate to lead the state.
The 2026 Osun governorship election featured candidates from 14 registered political parties, with Adeleke emerging victorious after a closely contested race against the APC candidate.
The victory gives Adeleke another term in office and places his administration under renewed pressure to deliver on its development promises to the people of Osun State.
