Incumbent defeats APC’s Bola Oyebamiji after taking 19 of 30 local government areas
UNITY TIMES POLITICAL DESK
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OSOGBO — Governor Ademola Adeleke has secured another term as Governor of Osun State after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared him winner of the state’s 2026 governorship election.
Adeleke, who contested on the platform of the Accord Party, emerged victorious after securing the highest number of votes across the state, winning 19 of Osun’s 30 Local Government Areas (LGAs).
His closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), won the remaining 11 LGAs.
The result confirms Adeleke’s continued hold on the political landscape of Osun, following his victory over the APC in the 2022 governorship election.
INEC’s declaration came after an extensive collation process at the commission’s state collation centre in Osogbo. Reports from the collation showed Adeleke maintaining a strong lead as results from the state’s 30 LGAs were announced.
A decisive political comeback
Adeleke’s victory is particularly significant because the governor entered the 2026 contest on a different political platform from the one under which he won the governorship four years ago.
Having moved from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to Accord, Adeleke faced the difficult task of demonstrating that his personal political structure could survive outside the PDP’s traditional machinery.
The result suggests that his political base remained sufficiently strong to deliver a second electoral mandate.
The 2026 contest was therefore not merely a referendum on the governor’s performance.
It was also a test of whether Adeleke could successfully transfer his political support from one party platform to another.
19 LGAs against 11
The geographical spread of the result was central to Adeleke’s victory. The Accord candidate secured 19 LGAs, while Oyebamiji carried 11 for the APC.
Early collation figures showed Adeleke leading strongly in several areas, including Ede South, Ife North and Ilesa West, while the APC candidate maintained strongholds in parts of the state.
The outcome demonstrates that although the APC mounted a formidable challenge, it was unable to translate its strength across enough parts of the state to overtake the incumbent.
For Oyebamiji, the 11-LGA performance nonetheless represents a significant showing in a state where the APC was determined to regain control.
A contest watched far beyond Osun
The Osun election attracted national attention because of its significance ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The state has historically been one of Nigeria’s most politically competitive states, and the election provided an early test of voter sentiment, opposition strength and the ability of incumbents to defend their political territory.
It also offered political parties an opportunity to test campaign strategies, voter mobilisation structures and electoral technology ahead of the much larger 2027 contest.
For the Accord Party, Adeleke’s victory gives the relatively smaller party an important political foothold in one of the South-West’s most closely watched states.
For the APC, the result represents a setback in its attempt to reclaim the Osun Government House.
BVAS and electoral technology under scrutiny
The election was not without controversy. During voting, reports emerged of technical difficulties involving the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), including problems with facial authentication.
Such incidents generated frustration among some voters and raised renewed questions about the reliability of electoral technology.
However, results continued to be uploaded to INEC’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV), while physical collation proceeded through the established electoral process.
The experience will likely contribute to the continuing national debate over the role of technology in Nigeria’s elections.
The central challenge remains ensuring that technology improves transparency without creating new obstacles for voters.
Security and political tension
The election also took place against a tense political background. Reports from election day included allegations of intimidation, vote buying and isolated violence.
There were also reports of disruption at some polling locations, including an incident in which gunmen reportedly attacked a location where INEC personnel were present.
Such incidents reinforce the importance of electoral security, particularly as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections.
The credibility of an election is determined not only by the final numbers but also by whether voters are able to cast their ballots freely and safely.
What Adeleke’s victory means for 2027
Perhaps the biggest political question now is what the Osun result means for the wider 2027 contest.
Adeleke’s victory gives opposition and smaller-party strategists an important case study. It demonstrates that an incumbent can successfully seek re-election after changing political platforms, provided the candidate retains sufficient personal and grassroots support.
For the APC, the result may prompt an internal review of its strategy in the South-West.
The party will have to determine whether its candidate-selection process, campaign messaging and grassroots mobilisation were sufficient to overcome the incumbent’s popularity.
For other opposition parties, meanwhile, the result could reinforce the argument that electoral alliances and strong individual candidates may be capable of challenging the ruling party.
A mandate — and a new responsibility
For Adeleke, victory now gives way to governance. The campaign promises that helped secure another term will increasingly be measured against actual performance.
Osun residents will expect improvements in infrastructure, employment, education, healthcare, agriculture and economic opportunities.
The governor will also face the challenge of governing a politically divided state after a fiercely contested election. The opposition will expect accountability, while supporters will expect the administration to deliver on its promises.
The bigger democratic lesson
The Osun election has once again demonstrated the competitive character of Nigerian democracy.
A sitting governor has won re-election, while a major opposition party has mounted a serious challenge and captured 11 LGAs.
The next test is acceptance. Political contestants and their supporters now have a responsibility to pursue any genuine grievances through the legal and constitutional channels available to them rather than allowing political disagreements to become sources of violence.
For INEC, the election is another opportunity to assess what worked, what failed and what must be improved before 2027. For Nigerians, the message is perhaps even simpler:
The ballot remains powerful — but its credibility depends on the institutions, security agencies, political parties and citizens who protect it.
The result at a glance
| Candidate | Party | LGAs won |
| Ademola Adeleke | Accord Party | 19 |
| Bola Oyebamiji | APC | 11 |
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