Incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke Holds Early Lead in Osun Governorship Election

Incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party holds an early lead in the 2026 Osun governorship election. After results from 15 of the 30 Local Government Areas were collated, Adeleke had secured 283,235 votes compared to 216,003 votes for the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Najeem Salaam, followed in third place with 11,196 votes.

Adeleke recorded strong performances in Ede North, where he polled 35,427 votes, and in Osogbo, where he secured 36,480 votes. He also won Iwo with 27,085 votes and Ife Central with 21,171 votes. Conversely, the APC won Obokun Local Government Area, with Oyebamiji polling 16,120 votes against Adeleke's 12,023. In a notable outcome, the Accord Party won the polling units of former governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola and former deputy governor Iyiola Omisore, both of whom had endorsed Oyebamiji. However, the APC won the polling unit of former governor Rauf Aregbesola, who had backed the ADC candidate.

The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa) described the election as mostly peaceful, though it noted reports of vote buying, technical glitches with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), and isolated violence in Ejigbo and Modakeke. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) cancelled results from some polling units in Ife Central due to alleged over voting. Additionally, voting did not occur at one polling unit in Ife Central because voters cited a shortage of ballot papers.

Governor Adeleke called upon President Bola Tinubu to ensure security agencies protect the collation centres from attempts by politicians to disrupt the process. Final results are being verified and ratified by the INEC Returning Officer at the central collation centre in Osogbo.