Imole Returns! Adeleke Wins Osun Re-Election With 511,067 Votes as Davido Demands Transparency Amid IReV Delay

Governor Ademola Adeleke has secured re-election as Osun State governor, defeating his closest challenger, All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Bola Oyebamiji, by a margin of 66,252 votes in a closely fought governorship election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Adeleke the winner in the early hours of Sunday after completing the collation of results from all 30 local government areas of the state.

Adeleke, contesting under the Accord Party, polled 511,067 votes, while Oyebamiji recorded 444,815 votes. African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate Najeem Salaam came a distant third with 17,180 votes.

The final figures gave Adeleke victory in 19 of Osun’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won the remaining 11.

The result marks another major political victory for Adeleke, who first emerged as Osun governor after defeating the incumbent APC candidate in the 2022 governorship election. His re-election extends his administration’s control of the state for another four years.

The election, held on Saturday, August 15, across 3,763 polling units, attracted intense national attention, with the contest widely viewed as a major political battle between the ruling party in the state and the APC.

The result collation was also accompanied by tension over the uploading of polling-unit results to INEC’s Result Viewing Portal, popularly known as IReV.

As the night progressed, the pace of result uploads became a major talking point among voters, party supporters and political observers. The delay prompted calls for transparency and for electoral officials to ensure that results recorded at polling units were properly reflected on the electronic platform.

Afrobeats superstar Davido, Adeleke’s nephew and one of his most vocal supporters, was among those closely monitoring the process. He repeatedly called for transparency and urged voters and party agents to remain vigilant while results were being uploaded and collated.

The IReV delay generated widespread discussion online, with concerns that prolonged gaps between physical result sheets and electronic uploads could undermine public confidence in the process.

Despite the concerns, the electronic uploads eventually progressed, while the formal collation proceeded through the established electoral process.

Adeleke had also raised security concerns before and during the election, particularly over alleged plans to disrupt voting in his hometown of Ede. He called on security agencies to protect polling units, electoral officials, voters and collation centres, while warning against any action that could compromise the integrity of the election.

The election was not entirely free of controversy, with reports of alleged vote-buying, isolated disruptions, BVAS-related challenges and other incidents emerging from some polling locations. However, the collation process ultimately proceeded to the final declaration.

When the result was announced, Adeleke’s supporters erupted in celebration in Osogbo, chanting “Imole”, the slogan strongly associated with the governor and his political movement.

The victory further strengthens Adeleke’s political standing in Osun and gives him another four years to pursue his administration’s agenda. It also represents a significant setback for the APC, which had mounted a strong challenge through Oyebamiji.

The final figures tell the story of a competitive election: Adeleke’s 511,067 votes against Oyebamiji’s 444,815, with the incumbent winning by 66,252 votes.

For Adeleke’s supporters, the declaration brought an end to an intense election night marked by suspense, delayed electronic uploads and heightened political scrutiny.

As celebrations continue across Osun, attention is now expected to turn to the broader political implications of Adeleke’s victory, the conduct of the election and any petitions or challenges that may emerge from the defeated candidates.

For the governor and his supporters, however, the result carries one unmistakable message: Imole has returned for another four years in Osun State.

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