Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has secured a second term in office after defeating the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Oyebamiji, in the governorship election held on Saturday.
The result gives Adeleke another four years to lead the state and also marks a major political victory for the governor, who entered the election facing a strong challenge from the APC and its candidate.
The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Adeleke the winner after he polled 511,067 votes, while Oyebamiji recorded 444,815 votes. Adeleke won 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won 11.
The victory has also produced an early show of political courtesy between Adeleke and President Bola Tinubu, despite their different political affiliations. Tinubu congratulated Adeleke after the result was announced and urged him to use his second term to unite the people of the state.
Tinubu said he had personally called Adeleke to congratulate him on his victory.
According to the President, the result showed that the people of Osun had renewed their confidence in the governor. He also wished Adeleke success in his second term and urged him to work for the development of the state regardless of how residents voted during the election.
Tinubu also praised the other candidates who took part in the election, saying their participation contributed to the country’s democratic process.
He commended the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies for what he described as a peaceful and transparent election that produced a clear winner.
The President’s response is significant because the election was closely watched as a test of the political strength of the APC in Osun ahead of the 2027 general elections. The APC had presented Oyebamiji as its candidate after a campaign aimed at returning the party to power in the state.
Adeleke, however, successfully defended the position he won in 2022.
The governor, speaking after his victory, described the result as a reward from the people for what he said was the work done by his administration in its first term.
He dedicated the victory to the people of Osun, saying they had chosen to recognise what he described as improvements in infrastructure, education, agriculture and other areas.
Adeleke said the renewed mandate was a gesture of appreciation from the people and promised to repay their confidence by doing more for the state.
He said his administration would work to move Osun away from an economy that depends heavily on the civil service towards one driven more by commerce and private economic activity.
The governor also struck a conciliatory tone after the election, saying there was no winner or loser in the wider sense because the people of the state remained the main beneficiaries of the democratic process.
He said he expected Oyebamiji to call and congratulate him on the outcome.
The expectation is significant given the close nature of the contest. Oyebamiji, who served as Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority before contesting the election, mounted a strong challenge against the incumbent.
The APC campaign had focused on the need for a change of government and presented Oyebamiji as an experienced candidate capable of taking the state in a different direction.
Adeleke, on the other hand, campaigned on his record in office and asked voters to give him another term to continue his programmes.
The election therefore became a contest not only between two candidates but also between two competing arguments about the direction of Osun State.
The final result showed a clear advantage for Adeleke, although Oyebamiji also secured substantial support across the state. Adeleke’s margin was 66,252 votes, underlining the competitiveness of the election.
The governor’s strongest performances came from areas with strong political connections to him and his family. He recorded particularly high figures in Osogbo, Ede North and Ede South.
Oyebamiji also recorded significant support in several local government areas, including Irewole and Olorunda.
The outcome has wider political implications for Osun and the South-West. The state has traditionally been one of the important political battlegrounds in the region, with the APC and its opponents repeatedly competing closely for control.
Adeleke’s first election as governor came in 2022, when he defeated the then incumbent APC governor, Gboyega Oyetola. That election was also closely fought and established Adeleke as a major political force in the state.
His latest victory means he will now remain in office until 2030, subject to the constitutional limits on tenure.
For the governor, the immediate challenge will be to turn the electoral victory into broader political support and deliver on the promises made during the campaign.
His pledge to strengthen infrastructure, education, agriculture, commerce and social services will now face the test of implementation.
The governor is also expected to work with political opponents and other stakeholders as he begins his second term.
Tinubu’s call for unity has added to that expectation. The President urged Adeleke to bring the people together and focus on growth, stability and social and economic progress, irrespective of their political choices during the election.
The President’s message also reflects the need for political leaders to move quickly from election campaigns to governance after polls are concluded.
For Osun residents, the attention will now shift from the contest to the performance of the renewed administration.
Adeleke has secured another mandate. The task before him is to show that the confidence expressed by more than half a million voters can be matched with stronger development and better opportunities across the state.
The governor’s victory has also provided an early indication that political competition in Osun remains open, despite the strength of the ruling APC at the federal level.
As the state moves towards the next phase, the focus will be on whether the governor can fulfil his promise to build a stronger commercial economy, improve public services and bring political opponents together.
For now, however, Adeleke has won the contest, and President Tinubu has acknowledged the result and called on the governor to make the victory a foundation for a more united and prosperous Osun State.