OsunDecides2026: Adeleke Sweeps Majority of LGAs as INEC Collation Puts Incumbent Firmly Ahead of APC

• INEC begins official collation of results from Osun’s 30 local government areas, with returning officers presenting certified figures at the state collation centre.

• Governor Ademola Adeleke wins the majority of the 22 LGAs announced so far, while APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji records victories in key opposition strongholds.

• Adeleke dominates Ede North, Ede South, Osogbo, Ife East, Iwo and several other councils to build a formidable statewide lead in Saturday’s governorship election.

• The ongoing collation follows Saturday’s governorship election, with INEC insisting only the State Returning Officer can declare the final winner.

August 16, () — Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party has tightened his grip on the 2026 Osun State governorship election after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) commenced the official collation and announcement of results from the state’s 30 local government areas.

The exercise, conducted at the state collation centre in Osogbo under the supervision of the State Returning Officer, Professor Joshua Ogunwole, Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, began hours after voting ended across the state on Saturday.

reports that results declared by local government returning officers show the incumbent governor winning most of the councils announced so far, placing him in a commanding position as the race heads towards its conclusion.

Adeleke Dominates Key Voting Blocs

Among the results officially announced, Adeleke recorded emphatic victories in his traditional strongholds, including Ede North where he secured 35,427 votes against APC’s 10,283, and Ede South, where he polled 26,188 votes compared to 6,219 for the APC.

He also posted impressive victories in Osogbo with 36,480 votes against APC’s 30,474, Iwo with 27,085 votes against 19,660, Ife East with 27,201 votes against 18,600, Ife Central with 21,171 votes against 15,913, Oriade with 21,343 votes against 14,863, Ifelodun with 21,107 votes against 18,396, Odo-Otin with 18,003 votes against 15,435, Ila with 16,211 votes against 12,934, Orolu, Ayedire, Ife North, Ifedayo and Boluwaduro.

The margins in several of these councils significantly boosted the governor’s statewide tally as collation progressed.

LIVE UPDATE: Winners Emerge as INEC Rolls Out Results Across LGAs in Osun Election

#OsunDecides2026: Early Results Put Adeleke In Wide Lead As APC Trails In High-Stakes Governorship Race

APC Holds Strategic Councils

Despite Adeleke’s dominance, APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji retained control of several strategic local government areas.

The APC emerged victorious in Irewole, polling 29,972 votes against Adeleke’s 10,934. It also won Boripe with 19,963 votes against 12,448, Obokun with 16,120 against 12,023, Irepodun with 15,713 against 14,504, Ilesa East with 16,208 against 12,280, and Atakumosa West with 10,037 against 7,479.

These victories narrowed the overall margin but were insufficient to offset Adeleke’s sweeping wins across much of the state.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Najeem Salaam, remained a distant third in every council announced, polling between low hundreds and just over 1,500 votes in the local governments declared so far.

Saturday’s governorship election was one of the most fiercely contested off-cycle elections in Nigeria, with Governor Adeleke seeking a second term against APC challenger Bola Oyebamiji and ADC candidate Najeem Salaam.

The poll attracted nationwide attention following weeks of intense campaigning, allegations and counter-allegations by political parties, as well as heightened security deployments across Osun State.

had earlier projected Adeleke as the winner of the election, however INEC has maintained that only the State Returning Officer is constitutionally empowered to collate the final statewide figures and formally declare the winner after all 30 local government results have been received and verified.