Adeleke Receives Certificate of Return Ahead of Second Term as Osun Governor

OSOGBO — Governor Ademola Adeleke has received his certificate of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission, formalising his victory in the August 15 Osun State governorship election and setting the stage for his inauguration to a second term in office as Osun state Governor.

The certificate confirms Adeleke’s re-election on the platform of the Accord Party, following a contest that saw him defeat 14 other candidates, including his closest rival, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress.

A Decisive Margin

INEC’s returning officer, Prof. Joshua Olalekan Ogunwale, declared Adeleke winner with 511,067 votes against Oyebamiji’s 444,815, a margin of 66,252 votes.

The African Democratic Congress candidate, Najeem Salaam, trailed in third place with 17,180 votes. Governor Ademola Adeleke won 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, drawing his strongest support from Ede North, Ede South, Osogbo, and Ife East.

Oyebamiji, in turn, carried 11 LGAs, including Irewole, where he recorded his widest margin of victory.

A Second Term, Pending Inauguration

ValidViewNetwork gathered that this victory sets Adeleke up for a second consecutive term as governor, though under a different political banner.

He first won the governorship in 2022 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, defeating then-incumbent Gboyega Oyetola. He later exited the PDP and joined the Accord Party ahead of the 2026 race.

Reacting after his declaration as winner, Adeleke thanked President Bola Tinubu for what he described as the president’s role in ensuring a free and credible process, adding that democracy had triumphed in the state.

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What Comes Next

With the certificate of return now in hand, Adeleke’s re-election stands formally confirmed. He is expected to be sworn in for his second term once his current tenure elapses, at which point he will officially resume as governor of Osun State for a second term in office.