Jubilation swept through Osun State on Sunday as Governor Ademola Adeleke was declared the winner of the August 15 governorship election.
Celebrations erupted most vividly in Osogbo, the state capital, and in Ede, Adeleke’s hometown, where crowds poured onto the streets, singing, dancing, and chanting in honor of his victory.
At the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) collation centre in Osogbo, supporters eagerly awaited the announcement of the final results from all 30 local government areas. Similar scenes played out at Adeleke’s residence in Ede, where jubilant supporters gathered to welcome the governor and celebrate his return for a second term.
INEC’s Returning Officer, Professor Joshua Ogunwole, announced Adeleke of the Accord Party as the winner early Sunday. Adeleke secured 511,067 votes, defeating his closest rival, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who received 444,815 votes. Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) came third with 17,180 votes.
Adeleke clinched victory in 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won 11. Ogunwole, who also serves as Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, confirmed that Adeleke met all legal requirements and was duly elected.
The declaration sparked renewed celebrations in Osogbo, with supporters dancing and singing around the INEC headquarters. In Ede, crowds gathered outside the governor’s residence as word of his triumph spread throughout the town.
Festivities had begun earlier in the day as initial results trickled in from polling units and local government areas, with Adeleke’s stronghold in Ede providing particularly enthusiastic support.
The scenes of jubilation in Ede and Osogbo mirrored those following Adeleke’s 2022 victory, when supporters similarly flooded the streets to mark his election as governor.
Fifteen political parties participated in the election, which followed months of vigorous campaigning and heightened security across the state.
Out of a total of 1,005,800 votes cast, 985,079 were declared valid. INEC accredited 1,010,684 voters for the poll.
Adeleke’s win secures him a second term as governor. He previously won the 2022 governorship on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), before defecting to the Accord Party in December 2025.
