Accord candidate secures 511,067 votes to retain Bola Ige House, beating APC’s Oyebamiji by 66,252 votes.
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has won re-election for a fresh four-year term after defeating his closest rival, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Saturday’s governorship election.
The Returning Officer for the election, Joshua Ogunwole, announced the result at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Collation Centre in Osogbo early Sunday.
Adeleke, who contested on the platform of the Accord Party, polled 511,067 votes, while Oyebamiji scored 444,815 votes. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Najeem Salaam, came third with 17,180 votes.
The victory gives Adeleke another four years in office and marks a significant political comeback after he left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), under which he won his first term, for the Accord Party in December.
Adeleke had explained that he chose Accord because its philosophy of welfarism aligned with his administration’s focus on the welfare of citizens and workers.
The election was contested by 15 political parties across Osun State’s 30 local government areas amid heightened political tension, security concerns and allegations of violence and electoral irregularities during the campaign and voting period.
The police deployed thousands of personnel across the state, alongside aerial surveillance assets, to maintain security during the election.
President Bola Tinubu had also directed security agencies to protect voters and electoral officials and ensure that the election was conducted peacefully, transparently and fairly.
The poll was further complicated by the late inclusion of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Francis Ajala, following a court judgment, forcing INEC to reproduce ballot papers and result sheets shortly before election day.
INEC National Commissioner supervising the election, Kunle Ajayi, said the commission printed millions of ballot papers within 36 hours and distributed the sensitive materials to all 30 local government areas despite the late court order.
Adeleke’s victory ends the closely contested election and secures his continued occupation of the Bola Ige House for another four-year term.