OsunDecides2026: Adeleke Casts Vote in Ede as Governorship Election Gets Underway

Osun State Governor and Accord Party governorship candidate, Ademola Adeleke, has cast his ballot in the 2026 Osun governorship election.

Adeleke voted at Polling Unit 009, Ward 02, Abogunde Compound, in Ede North Local Government Area of the state.

Reports from the polling unit put his arrival at around 8:10 a.m., as accreditation and voting got underway across the state.

The governor is seeking a second term in office after securing the Accord Party ticket for Saturday’s election. His participation comes as voters across Osun file out to determine who will govern the state for the next four years.

The Independent National Electoral Commission scheduled the election for August 15, 2026, across the state’s 30 local government areas.

INEC said 2,339,233 voters are registered for the election, with voting taking place across 3,763 polling units and 332 registration areas.

ValidViewNetwork reports that Adeleke’s Ede North voting centre witnessed voter activity from the early hours of Saturday, with residents turning out for the exercise.

Reports from Ede indicated that voters and electoral officials began moving towards polling locations early in the morning. Vehicles were also seen conveying voters and NYSC members to different polling units before voting commenced.

The election has attracted significant attention because of the major political battle involving Adeleke, All Progressives Congress candidate Bola Oyebamiji and African Democratic Congress candidate Najeem Salaam.

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Fourteen political parties were cleared for the contest, although the campaign has largely centred on the three leading candidates.

The poll is also being closely watched as one of Nigeria’s major electoral exercises before the 2027 general elections.

ValidViewNetwork reports that election officials, voters and security personnel were deployed across polling locations as accreditation and voting commenced.

Earlier preparations by INEC included the completion of the state’s voter register and the deployment of electoral materials across the local government areas. The commission had also assured stakeholders of its readiness to conduct a free, fair and credible election.

As voting continues, attention will now shift from the candidates’ campaigns to voter turnout, the conduct of polling officials, security and the eventual collation of results.

The final outcome will determine whether Adeleke secures another term or Osun voters hand the governorship to a new administration.