Adeleke wins Osun governorship election, secures second term

Governor Ademola Adeleke has secured a second term as governor of Osun State, triumphing in the 2026 governorship election. His victory was driven by a combination of strong performances in his traditional strongholds and decisive wins in key local government areas, allowing him to build substantial vote margins that the All Progressives Congress (APC) could not overcome.

Results from the 30 local government areas, collated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), showed Adeleke, who contested under the Accord Party, winning in 19 areas. He defeated the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who secured 11 local government areas. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) finished a distant third. Final tallies showed Accord polling 511,067 votes against APC's 444,815, giving Adeleke a lead of 66,252 votes over his closest rival.

Beyond the numbers, Adeleke's confidence entering the contest was palpable. He repeatedly dismissed concerns over the perceived political weight backing the APC campaign. Days before the election, the governor famously declared himself a "bulldozer," asserting that he was unfazed by what he characterized as federal might or the support some governors lent to his opponent.

"I am a bulldozer. I am talk and do. I am not afraid of federal might and governors backing the APC candidate. If they like, they should bring all the governors," Adeleke stated at the Arise Townhall Meeting. This declaration became a defining element of his campaign, aiming to convince voters that the election's outcome rested with the people of Osun, not external political heavyweights. The results suggest this confidence resonated with the electorate.

The most revealing aspect of the election was not just the number of local governments won, but the sheer size of the margins in Adeleke's victories. While he won 19 LGAs to Oyebamiji's 11, some of Adeleke's wins were particularly commanding. For instance, in Ede-North, Accord secured 35,427 votes compared to APC's 10,283, a margin of 25,144 votes in a single local government. Ede-South yielded a similar advantage, with Accord polling 26,188 votes against APC's 6,219, adding another 19,969-vote cushion.

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I am a bulldozer. I am talk and do. I am not afraid of federal might and governors backing the APC candidate. If they like, they should bring all the governors.