By Ayomide Otitoju
Jubilation erupted across Osun State on Sunday following the declaration of Governor Ademola Adeleke as the winner of the August 15 governorship election.
The celebrations were particularly pronounced in Osogbo, the state capital, and Ede, Adeleke’s hometown, where supporters took to the streets singing, dancing and chanting in celebration of his victory.
At the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) collation centre in Osogbo, supporters gathered as final results from the state’s 30 local government areas were announced. Similar scenes were witnessed around Adeleke’s residence in Ede, where supporters awaited his arrival and celebrated his re-election.
INEC’s Returning Officer for the election, Joshua Ogunwole, declared Adeleke of the Accord Party the winner early Sunday after he polled 511,067 votes.
Adeleke defeated his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 444,815 votes. Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) came third with 17,180 votes.
The governor won in 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji secured victory in 11.
Ogunwole, who is the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti, said Adeleke had satisfied the requirements of the law and was therefore declared duly elected.
The declaration triggered fresh celebrations in Osogbo, with supporters dancing and singing around the INEC premises. In Ede, large crowds also gathered around the governor’s residence as news of his victory spread.
Celebrations had begun in parts of the state as results emerged from polling units and local government areas, with particularly strong support for Adeleke in Ede.
The scenes in Ede and Osogbo echoed the celebrations that followed Adeleke’s victory in the 2022 governorship election, when supporters similarly took to the streets to celebrate his emergence as governor.
The election attracted 15 political parties and followed months of intense campaigning and heightened security across the state.
A total of 1,005,800 votes were cast, with 985,079 recorded as valid votes. INEC accredited 1,010,684 voters for the election.
Adeleke’s victory secures a second term for the governor, who won the 2022 election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before defecting to the Accord Party in December 2025.
