Politics:
The Votes That Kept Adeleke In Bola Ige House
President Bola Tinubu congratulated Governor Ademola Adeleke, describing the outcome as a reflection of the will of Osun voters.
Osun 2026
A combo image of a ballot paper, ballot box and Governor Ademola Adeleke
More than a million voices found expression in the ballot boxes of Osun State on August 15, 2026, as voters across the 30 local government areas turned out to decide who would steer the affairs of the South-West state for the next four years. When the ballots were counted, the verdict was unmistakable, according to official results: the people had chosen incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke to continue the journey.
The Returning Officer for the Osun governorship election, Joshua Ogunwole, announced Adeleke as the winner at the INEC Collation Centre in Osogbo early Sunday, bringing months of political campaigns, contests and anticipation to an end.
Adeleke polled 511,067 votes to defeat his closest rival, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 444,815 votes. Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) came third with 17,180 votes.
“For that, Adeleke Ademola Jackson of the Accord Party, having satisfied the requirement of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is hereby returned elected,” Ogunwole said.
According to the Returning Officer, 1,005,800 votes were cast across the state, with 985,079 valid votes recorded. A total of 1,010,684 voters were accredited for the poll.
The election was contested by 15 political parties, with Adeleke seeking another term on the platform of the Accord Party, having left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)in December, under which he won his first term.
The election itself came with its own twists. President Bola Tinubu mandated the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, and other heads of security agencies to provide adequate security at polling units to prevent disruption.
Days before the election, a court ordered the inclusion of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), forcing INEC to adjust preparations, including the production and distribution of election materials and other logistical arrangements.
But when voting ended and the results began to emerge, the focus shifted from the contest to the verdict of the electorate.
Supporters Jubilate
Adeleke’s victory triggered celebrations across Osun State, particularly in Osogbo, the state capital, and Ede, his hometown. Supporters filled the streets, singing, dancing and chanting as results from polling units and local government areas showed strong support for the governor.
The jubilation extended beyond the streets of Osun.
‘We Did It!’
Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, celebrated the re-election of his uncle.
“WE DID IT UNC !!! @aadeleke_01,” the singer wrote on X, alongside a video celebrating the governor’s victory.
Davido had watched Channels Television’s live coverage of the results and waited for the formal declaration. When Ogunwole announced Adeleke as the winner, the singer jumped up, knelt and eventually lay on the floor in celebration.
Olive Branch
With the victory secured, Adeleke extended an olive branch to his opponents, calling for cooperation beyond the election.
“Osun State is on the march again. We shall expand development and widen the net of good governance. In this race, there is no victor and no vanquished. I extend my olive branch to my co-contestants,” he said during the address on Sunday in Osogbo.
“I am the governor of all Osun people. My vision is to take Osun from a civil service state to an industrial state and an investment destination. Congratulations to Osun people and to all supporters of good governance.”
About two days after the Osun governorship election, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Oyebamiji, has broken his silence, throwing his weight behind his party’s decision to review the outcome of the just-concluded poll.
Bola Oyebamiji
Oyebamiji is a former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).
Earlier, the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress had said that the leadership of the party is currently studying the results of Saturday’s governorship election in each of the 332 wards across the state with a view to taking the next line of action.
‘Will Of The People’
President Bola Tinubu congratulated Adeleke, describing the outcome as a reflection of the will of Osun voters.
“I called Governor Ademola Adeleke earlier today to congratulate him on his election victory in Osun State. His victory once again confirmed the confidence the people of Osun State have in him,” Tinubu said in a statement issued by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, on Sunday.
“The outcome of the election reflects the will of the people and is a fitting assurance that democracy will continue to flourish in our land.”
He praised the “courage and discipline displayed by other contestants in the election”, saying their “participation deepened and enriched our country’s democratic culture”.
Atiku, Obi Hail Victory
The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, and the presidential candidate of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, also congratulated Adeleke.
Obi described the outcome as a victory for democracy and commended Osun voters for defending their mandate, while Atiku said the victory reflected the choice of Osun voters at the ballot.
Election observation groups, comprising Yiaga Africa and other civil society organisations, have hailed the conduct of the election.
While giving an analysis of the election, the Chairperson of the Election Observation Mission, Asmau Maikudi, said that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies “largely passed the test”.
The group said that the results of the election as announced by INEC were consistent with Yiaga Africa’s statistical analysis.
It, however, raised concerns about some inadequacies observed during the election.
‘It Belongs To People Of Osun’
On Wednesday, Adeleke received his Certificate of Return at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Osogbo, declaring that it “belongs to the people of Osun State”.
An excited Adeleke danced amid cheers and jubilation from Accord Party members and supporters.
“God has fought my battles for me, and so I hold unto God throughout the duration of the political war and now that I have been re-elected,” he said.
“Today is not merely a day for the presentation of a Certificate of Return. It is a day of gratitude, reflection and, above all, appreciation for the people of Osun State who stood firm for democracy.
“This certificate does not belong to Ademola Adeleke alone. It belongs to the people of Osun State, the market men and women, workers, youths, traditional and religious leaders, and every citizen who demonstrates that our democracy cannot be intimidated, purchased or suppressed. I am deeply humbled by your courage and by the confidence you have renewed in me.
₦500m Endowment Fund
While announcing a ₦500 million education scholarship for victims of political violence, Adeleke commended INEC and the security agencies.
“I commend the electoral commission for doing a good job. You stood for democracy. I commend the security agencies, especially the Commissioner of Police for the election; the DSS. I would have loved the police to do more, but we thank God the election day went violence-free,” the governor said.
At the Ataoja Palace in Osogbo, Adeleke commiserated with families of the deceased and injured.
“We remember Ezekiel Olapade, Aderogba Ajayi, Remi Abass, Kolade Eluyera, and the many other victims whose lives were cut short or permanently affected by electoral violence. To their families, I say: your pain has not been forgotten, and your loved ones will never be reduced to statistics.
Scholarships For Victims’ Dependents
The governor announced automatic scholarships up to university level for the children and dependents of those who lost their lives.
“As part of our commitment to supporting affected families, the Adeleke family, through the Springtime Development Foundation, will provide automatic scholarships up to university level for the children and dependents of those who lost their lives,” the governor declared at a separate celebration rally organised by Osun labour movement.
“But as we celebrate, we must remember those who paid a painful price during the electoral process. Citizens were injured, properties were destroyed, livelihoods disrupted and, most painfully, lives were lost.
“In addition, the Osun State Government will establish a ₦500 million Election Violence Victims Endowment Fund to provide relief and support to verified victims and families affected by the violence.
“A Verification and Relief Committee, chaired by the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adewale Olumide Egbedun, will oversee the transparent identification and assessment of victims and the equitable distribution of relief.
“This is not a political fund. It is a humanitarian intervention. No eligible victim will be discriminated against on the basis of political affiliation, religion, ethnicity, gender or social status,” Adeleke told the public workers at the State Secretariat.
For the governor, the August 15 election ended with a renewed mandate. For Osun voters, it was another opportunity to exercise their democratic choice. And for the Bola Ige House, the familiar occupant remains.
