morganable politics/elections
A breakdown of the results showed that Adeleke won in 19 of the 30 local government areas in the state, while Oyebamiji secured victory in 11 councils. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Najeem Salaam, finished third in the contest, trailing behind the two leading candidates.
KaNo —
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the incumbent governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, as the winner of the governorship election held across the state on Saturday, securing him a second term in office.
The State Returning Officer and Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Prof. Joshua Ogunwole, announced the result at approximately 7:24 a.m. on Sunday after the collation of votes from the 30 local government areas of the state.
According to the official results, Adeleke polled a total of 511,067 votes to defeat his closest rival, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who garnered 444,815 votes.
Declaring the outcome, Ogunwole confirmed that Adeleke met all constitutional requirements and was duly returned elected.
“That Ademola Nurudeen-Jackson Adeleke, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner of the August 15 governorship election and returned elected,” he stated.
Gov Adeleke Wins 19 Local Govt Areas
A breakdown of the results showed that Adeleke won in 19 of the 30 local government areas in the state, while Oyebamiji secured victory in 11 councils. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Najeem Salaam, finished third in the contest, trailing behind the two leading candidates.
On the other hand, Oyebamiji recorded victories in Irewole, Isokan, Olorunda, Atakumosa East, Atakumosa West, Ilesa East, Boripe, Irepodun and Obokun local government areas.
INEC also released detailed statistics of the election. A total of 1,010,684 voters were accredited, while the total number of votes cast stood at 1,005,800. Of these, 985,079 votes were deemed valid, with only 207 rejected ballots.
The remaining votes were distributed among other political parties, including the ADC, which polled 17,180 votes, and smaller parties with significantly lower figures.
Following the declaration, agents of the participating political parties signed the result sheets, completing the formal process of announcing the winner.
The outcome of the election has drawn reactions from political leaders and stakeholders across the country.
Atiku Congratulates Gov Adeleke
The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, congratulated Adeleke on his re-election, describing the victory as a reflection of the will of the people of Osun State.
In a statement shared on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Atiku commended voters for their peaceful participation in the electoral process.
“I congratulate Governor Ademola Adeleke on his re-election as Governor of Osun State. His victory demonstrates the choice of the people of Osun as expressed at the ballot box,” he said.
“I commend the people for their passion and peaceful participation. I wish Governor Adeleke continued success as he continues to serve them,” Atiku added.
Despite the largely peaceful conduct of the election, concerns have been raised over alleged electoral malpractices during the poll.
Probe Vote Buying, Violence, SERAP Urges EFCC,ICPC
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on INEC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate reports of vote-buying, financial inducement, and other irregularities linked to the election.
In a petition dated August 16, 2026, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP urged the agencies to carry out a joint and transparent investigation into the allegations.
SERAP also recommended that international and regional bodies, including the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and relevant United Nations human rights mechanisms, be invited to provide independent assessment and oversight.
“The legitimacy and credibility of the Osun State election result ultimately depend upon whether voters were genuinely able to freely exercise their right to participation and political choice,” the group stated.
“Where voters are allegedly induced with money or other benefits, threatened with violence, intimidated, or coerced, serious questions arise as to whether the election reflected the free and genuine will of the electorate.”
It called for the preservation and examination of relevant evidence, including banking and mobile money records, telecommunications data, CCTV footage, and polling unit documentation.
Citing preliminary findings by the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Election Observation Hub, SERAP noted that observers recorded 323 electoral offences and irregularities across 726 polling units monitored as of midday on election day.
These included 103 cases of vote trading, 28 instances of inducement of polling and security officials, 31 cases of voter obstruction, and several reports of ballot exposure and official misconduct.
The call for investigation underscores ongoing concerns about the integrity of elections in Nigeria, even as INEC continues to implement reforms aimed at strengthening the electoral process.
Meanwhile, Governor Adeleke’s victory marks a significant political development in Osun State, consolidating his influence and setting the stage for another four years of governance.
Observers say his second term will be closely watched, particularly in light of expectations for improved service delivery and the need to address lingering electoral concerns.
