Governor Ademola Adeleke has secured another term as Osun State governor after defeating All Progressives Congress (AaPC) candidate Bola Oyebamiji by 66,252 votes in Saturday’s governorship election.
He contested on the platform of the Accord Party, polled 511,067 votes against Oyebamiji’s 444,815, according to the final figures announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday.
The State Returning Officer, Prof Joshua Ogunwole, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, declared Adeleke the winner at about 7:24am after results from the state’s 30 local government areas had been collated.
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19-LGA spread delivers second term
His victory was built on wins in 19 councils, while Oyebamiji carried 11.
The incumbent secured Ede North, Ede South, Ejigbo, Iwo, Egbedore, Ife North, Ife East, Ife Central, Oriade, Ifelodun, Orolu, Ayedaade, Ayedire, Odo Otin, Boluwaduro, Ilesa West, Ifedayo, Osogbo, and another council listed by the commission among his victories.
Oyebamiji prevailed in Irewole, Isokan, Olorunda, Atakumosa East, Atakumosa West, Ilesa East, Boripe, Irepodun and Obokun.
The final tally showed a substantial turnout across the state. Of 1,010,684 accredited voters, political parties collectively received 1,005,800 votes, comprising 985,079 valid votes and 207 rejected ballots, based on the figures read by the returning officer.
The ADC candidate, Najeem Salaam, finished third with 17,180 votes.
INEC returns Adeleke elected
Announcing the outcome, Ogunwole said the governor had satisfied the legal requirements for victory.
He said, “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.”
The declaration followed the signing of the collated results by agents of the participating political parties.
Adeleke’s victory gives him another mandate at the Osun State Government House after a contest in which he and Oyebamiji emerged as the dominant contenders.
The result also converts Adeleke’s earlier local-government lead into a statewide victory, with the governor prevailing in nearly two-thirds of Osun’s councils.
With the declaration, the election that began with voting on Saturday has now produced a formally recognised winner.
