Ademola Adeleke has secured another four years as the Governor of Osun State after winning the 2026 governorship election held on Saturday, August 15.
The incumbent governor, who contested under the Accord Party, defeated the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, in a closely contested election that kept attention on the state as results were collated through the early hours of Sunday.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Adeleke the winner at the collation centre in Osogbo on Sunday morning. He polled 511,067 votes, while Oyebamiji finished with 444,815 votes. Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) came third with 17,180 votes.
According to the final figures announced by INEC, 1,010,684 voters were accredited for the election. A total of 1,005,800 votes were cast, with 985,079 recorded as valid votes and 207 rejected.
Adeleke Wins Majority of Osun LGAs
Adeleke’s victory came after a race largely dominated by the incumbent and Oyebamiji, with both candidates campaigning heavily across the state’s 30 local government areas.
The Accord candidate emerged ahead in 19 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won 11, according to the collated results. The margin between the two leading candidates ultimately stood at 66,252 votes.
The result gives Adeleke another four years in office after he first became governor in 2022 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
From PDP to Accord
Adeleke’s re-election is particularly notable because he did not contest under the same party that brought him to office in 2022.
The governor left the PDP amid the party’s internal crisis in late 2025 and subsequently joined the Accord Party. He had said he chose Accord because of its emphasis on welfare and its alignment with his administration’s focus on the well-being of citizens and workers.
His move was followed by his emergence as Accord’s sole governorship candidate. At the party’s primary in Osogbo, Adeleke secured 145 votes, with five votes declared void. The party also presented an updated five-point agenda ahead of the election, covering areas including citizens’ and workers’ welfare, infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, education, and the business environment.
Despite changing parties, Adeleke managed to retain the governorship, giving him a second consecutive term in Osun State.
His running mate for the election was Adenusi Kola Adegboyega. INEC’s final list of candidates released ahead of the election identified Adegboyega as Adeleke’s deputy governorship candidate.
A Closely Watched Election
The election had attracted significant attention in the months leading up to August 15, with the contest between Adeleke and Oyebamiji becoming one of the major political battles in the state.
Oyebamiji, a former Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), campaigned on promises to improve sectors including education, healthcare, electricity, agriculture and workers’ welfare.
The campaign period was also marked by concerns over political tension and allegations of violence. In July, the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, met with Adeleke and other stakeholders in Osogbo as part of efforts to address concerns over political violence ahead of the election.
There were also disagreements between the two major camps over alleged attempts to buy Permanent Voter Cards. Both Adeleke and Oyebamiji raised concerns about alleged inducements involving voters’ cards during the campaign period, although the accusations were exchanged between the political camps.
The election itself ended with Adeleke securing enough votes across the state to retain the position he has held since 2022.
Davido Celebrates His Uncle’s Victory
Beyond the political significance of the result, the election also attracted attention because of Adeleke’s relationship with Afrobeats star Davido, whose real name is David Adeleke.
Davido has been publicly involved in his uncle’s political campaign and reacted shortly after INEC announced the result.
Taking to X, the singer celebrated the outcome with a short message to his uncle: “We did it, Uncle.”
Reports also showed Davido celebrating as the result was announced, adding another familiar face to the reactions surrounding Adeleke’s victory.
What Adeleke’s Second Term Means
With his re-election, Adeleke will begin another four-year tenure as governor of Osun State.
His victory also means that the political transition anticipated in the state will not happen this year, as the incumbent has received another mandate from voters to continue his administration.
For Adeleke, the result represents a significant political achievement: he has retained the governorship despite leaving the PDP, the party under which he won his first election, and successfully defended his position against the APC’s challenge.
The focus will now shift from the election campaign to the next phase of governance, as residents will expect the governor to build on his first-term agenda and deliver on the promises made during the campaign.
For now, however, the election has produced a clear outcome. Ademola Adeleke will remain Governor of Osun State for another four years.