By Cross Udo and David Lawani, Abuja
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has secured a second term in office after defeating the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, in Saturday’s governorship election, in a result that has handed the ruling party a major political setback ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Adeleke the winner in the early hours of Sunday after he polled 511,067 votes, defeating Oyebamiji, popularly known as AMBO, who secured 444,815 votes.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Najeem Salaam, came a distant third with 17,180 votes.
INEC Returning Officer, Prof Joshua Ogunwole, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti, announced the result at the state collation centre.
He said 985,079 valid votes were recorded, while 20,721 votes were rejected, bringing the total number of votes cast to 1,005,800.
The result effectively returned Adeleke to the Osun Government House for another four years and reinforced his hold on the state after his first-term victory over the APC in 2022.
The 2026 contest was closely watched because of its potential implications for the political balance ahead of the 2027 presidential election. The APC had mounted a major campaign to reclaim the state, with Oyebamiji presented as its governorship candidate.
*Adeleke extends olive branch after victory
Speaking with journalists at his country home in Ede after his victory, Adeleke called for reconciliation, urging his opponents and supporters to put the violence and political tension that characterised the election period behind them.
The governor said the outcome should provide an opportunity for Osun to unite and concentrate on development.
He also observed a minute’s silence for victims of pre-election violence and called on traditional rulers and community leaders to lead peace-building efforts in their respective communities.
“In this race, there is no victor, no vanquished. I extend an olive branch to my co-contestants,” Adeleke said.
The governor dedicated his victory to God and the people of Osun, promising to build on his administration’s achievements while addressing areas where he believed it had fallen short.
“As you have trusted me with a second term in office, I will reinforce my strong points and correct my errors,” he said.
Adeleke further promised accelerated development under what he described as his renewed five-point agenda.
“Osun will witness further accelerated development and growth under my renewed five-point agenda,” he said.
The governor also declared that his administration would pursue a broader economic transformation, with the ambition of moving Osun beyond its traditional dependence on the civil service.
“I am the governor of all Osun people. My vision remains taking Osun from a civil service state to an industrial state and an investment destination,” he said.
In a significant political gesture, Adeleke commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as support for a free and fair election and reaffirmed his support for the President’s 2027 re-election bid.
*APC weighs legal options after defeat
While Adeleke celebrated his victory, the APC stopped short of conceding the election, saying it was studying the results and would determine its next course of action after consulting its legal team.
In a statement issued by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, the party said the electoral process did not end with the declaration of results and that it retained the constitutional right to challenge any irregularities it believed occurred during the election.
“An election cannot be said to have been concluded without exploring all constitutionally allowed legal opportunities to correct anomalies observed in the process,” the APC said.
The party said it would remain within the framework of the Electoral Act and the rule of law as it determined its next move.
It nevertheless urged its members and supporters to remain calm and resist any provocation from members of the ruling party.
“It is not over until it is over,” the APC said.
The party also appealed to the Nigeria Police Force to protect its members and supporters, alleging that some had been subjected to harassment.
The development means the APC could still pursue legal avenues to challenge the result, although the party had not, as of the time of its statement, formally announced whether it would file a petition.
*Tinubu congratulates Adeleke, urges unity
President Tinubu has congratulated Adeleke on his re-election, saying the result demonstrated the confidence that Osun voters placed in the governor.
In a statement by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, the President urged Adeleke to use his second term to unite the state and work for all residents regardless of their political affiliations.
“Now that he has won, Governor Adeleke must unite the people of Osun State and rally them for growth, stability, and social and economic progress,” Tinubu said.
Tinubu also praised the other contestants for participating in the election, saying their involvement strengthened Nigeria’s democratic culture.
He commended INEC and the security agencies for conducting what he described as a peaceful and transparent election.
The President’s reaction is politically significant given the APC’s defeat in a state where the party had campaigned aggressively to regain power.
*SERAP demands investigation into alleged vote-buying
Beyond the political reactions, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has raised questions about the integrity of the electoral process, calling for investigations into alleged vote-buying, financial inducements, illegal election financing, voter intimidation, violence, and the misuse of public resources.
SERAP urged INEC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the allegations jointly.
It also called for independent regional and international scrutiny involving bodies such as the African Union, ECOWAS and relevant United Nations mechanisms.
“The legitimacy and credibility of the Osun State election result ultimately depend upon whether voters were genuinely able to exercise their right to participation and political choice freely,” SERAP said.
The organisation cited preliminary reports from election observers alleging hundreds of electoral offences and irregularities across monitored polling units.
It specifically demanded that investigators trace funds allegedly used for vote-buying and preserve banking records, mobile money transactions, telecommunications data, CCTV footage, and polling unit records to assist the investigation.
SERAP also called for the prosecution of persons found culpable and urged the authorities to make the findings of any investigation public.
The group said addressing the allegations was important not only for the Osun election but also for restoring confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system ahead of 2027.
*Oyebanji backs Adeleke, praises Tinubu
Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, also congratulated Adeleke, urging him to be magnanimous in victory and reach out to his opponents.
Oyebanji commended President Tinubu for providing what he described as a level playing field for the contestants, arguing that the President’s approach helped reduce tension during the election.
He also praised the APC candidate, Oyebamiji, for putting up what he described as a strong challenge and urged Osun APC members to return to the drawing board.
Importantly, Oyebanji cautioned against interpreting the Osun result as a rejection of Tinubu ahead of 2027.
“The outcome of the Osun Governorship election should not be misinterpreted as a true reflection of Osun people about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.
He predicted that Osun voters would support Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
*A setback for APC, but not necessarily 2027 verdict
The Osun result has consequently produced two competing political narratives.
For Adeleke and his supporters, the victory represents a renewed mandate and endorsement of his administration. For the APC, the defeat provides a basis for reviewing its strategy, particularly its grassroots mobilisation and its ability to convert support from national and state party structures into votes.
The party’s decision to study the results before determining its next step also leaves open the possibility of a legal challenge.
For the Presidency and the APC, however, the outcome carries significance beyond Osun. With the 2027 presidential election approaching, the result offers an early indication that state-level electoral contests could become important battlegrounds for the competing political camps.
Adeleke’s decision to endorse Tinubu for 2027 adds another layer to the emerging political calculations, even as the APC begins assessing what went wrong in its bid to reclaim the state.
The immediate challenge for the re-elected governor will now be to translate his victory into the peace, unity and development he promised, while the APC faces the task of rebuilding its political machinery before the next major electoral contest.
The 2026 Osun poll therefore closes one political chapter but opens another: Adeleke has secured four more years, while the APC must decide how to turn defeat into a stronger strategy for 2027.
