Professor Ogunwole Declares Adeleke Winner in Closely Fought Osun Governorship Race

Osogbo — Professor Joshua Olalekan Ogunwole, Vice‑Chancellor of the Federal University Oye‑Ekiti (FUOYE), on Sunday morning formally declared Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party re‑elected in the tightly contested Osun State governorship election.

Speaking at the state collation centre at 7:24 a.m., Ogunwole — serving as the State Returning Officer — announced the final aggregated results from the August 15 poll, confirming Adeleke’s victory over his principal challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Final results

• Ademola Adeleke (Accord Party): 511,067 votes (winner)
• Bola Oyebamiji (APC): 444,815 votes (runner‑up)
• Najeem Salaam (ADC): 17,180 votes (second runner‑up)

“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,” Ogunwole said as party agents, observers and members of the press looked on.

A seasoned academic on the national stage
The announcement placed Professor Ogunwole briefly at the centre of a high‑stakes democratic exercise. A native of Ogbomoso in Oyo State, Ogunwole was born on July 23, 1967, and holds a BSc in Agriculture and MSc and PhD degrees in Soil Science from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

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Known to students and colleagues as “Coach,” Ogunwole is a prominent soil scientist and university administrator. He is the current Vice‑Chancellor of FUOYE and previously served as Vice‑Chancellor of Bowen University from 2018 to 2023.

International research credentials
Ogunwole’s career includes notable international fellowships: a Fulbright Scholarship at Pennsylvania State University (USA), a TWAS postdoctoral fellowship in India, and an Alexander von Humboldt fellowship at the University of Hannover, Germany. His research has focused on carbon sequestration, sustainable agriculture and climate‑adaptation strategies.

The declaration brought an end to a charged electoral season in Osun State, with the official pronouncement providing legal closure to the contest and setting the stage for Adeleke’s second consecutive term.