OSUN 2026: ADELEKE MAINTAINS LEAD AS INEC UPLOADS 94.5% OF RESULTS, FINAL COLLATION UNDERWAY
The battle for the Osun State Government House has entered its decisive stage, with incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke maintaining a commanding lead as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) races to complete the collation of results from Saturday’s governorship election.
As of 12:03 a.m. on Sunday, INEC had uploaded 3,557 of the 3,763 expected polling-unit results, representing 94.53 per cent of the results, on its Result Viewing (IReV) portal.
The latest development leaves only 206 polling-unit results outstanding as collation continues across the state’s 30 Local Government Areas.
Earlier results collated from 24 LGAs placed Adeleke, the Accord Party candidate, firmly ahead of his closest challenger, All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji.
According to figures reported after results from 24 LGAs had been released, Adeleke had secured 347,730 votes, while Oyebamiji had polled 283,653 votes. African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate Najeem Salaam was placed a distant third with 13,143 votes at that stage.
The same collation showed Accord winning 16 of the 24 LGAs reported, while the APC had won eight. However, those figures remain subject to the completion of the statutory collation process and should not be regarded as the final result.
THE FINAL STRETCH
With more than 94 per cent of polling-unit results now uploaded, attention has shifted to the remaining results that could determine the final margin between the leading contenders.
The election has attracted intense interest because of the political weight attached to the contest.
For Adeleke, victory would secure another term in office and consolidate the Accord Party's hold on the state.
For Oyebamiji and the APC, a comeback would return the party to the Osun Government House after losing the state to Adeleke in the 2022 governorship election.
Salaam and the ADC have also remained part of the contest, although the emerging figures have placed the two leading candidates considerably ahead.
SECURITY CONCERNS
The election was not without incidents.
Reports emerged of the destruction of electoral materials at a polling unit in Ejigbo, while a collation centre in Osogbo was reportedly invaded by gunmen who fired into the air, temporarily disrupting the exercise.
Despite the reported incidents, voting was completed across the state and the focus has now shifted almost entirely to the collation and declaration of results.
INEC HOLDS THE FINAL WORD
The electronic uploading of polling-unit results has provided the public with an opportunity to monitor the process, but the figures circulating online remain provisional until INEC completes the official collation.
For now, Adeleke is in front, Oyebamiji is the principal challenger, and the race remains officially undecided.
All eyes are now on the remaining results and the final declaration by INEC.
Osun waits.
