The re-election of Governor Ademola Adeleke in Saturday’s Osun State governorship election is more than a personal triumph for the incumbent. It is a significant verdict from an electorate that has now given him another four years to translate campaign promises and first-term achievements into measurable improvements in the lives of citizens.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Adeleke of the Accord Party winner after he polled 511,067 votes, defeating APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes. ADC candidate Najeem Salaam came a distant third with 17,180 votes. Adeleke won 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won 11.
The margin of 66,252 votes is politically important. In 2022, Adeleke defeated Gboyega Oyetola by a much narrower margin. His improved performance therefore suggests that the governor succeeded in consolidating enough support beyond his traditional base to withstand the APC’s formidable challenge. Analysts have pointed to his infrastructure projects, support among workers and personal appeal as factors in the victory.
But the election should not be interpreted as an unconditional endorsement of everything Adeleke has done. The campaign was fiercely contested, and reports of vote buying, inducement, technical difficulties with BVAS and isolated violence remain troubling. Yiaga Africa said the official results fell within its independent projections and accurately reflected ballots counted, but warned that widespread vote buying raised serious concerns about the integrity of voters’ choices.
INEC and the security agencies deserve recognition for conducting a process that observers largely considered credible, but the delayed uploading of results to the IReV portal also generated anxiety and demands for greater transparency. These weaknesses must be addressed before 2027.
For the opposition, particularly the APC, the defeat demands sober reflection. Winning 11 LGAs and polling 444,815 votes shows that the party remains a formidable force in Osun. Its challenge now is to build a broader coalition, strengthen internal unity and develop a compelling alternative beyond the power of federal incumbency.
For Adeleke, however, the campaign is over. The dancing, celebrations and political triumph must give way to governance.
His renewed mandate should mean faster economic development, stronger infrastructure, better education and healthcare, improved workers’ welfare and greater accountability in public spending. The governor must also resist the temptation to treat the election as a licence for complacency.
President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Adeleke, describing the result as an affirmation of democracy. The real affirmation, however, will come from what Adeleke does with the next four years.
Osun voters have spoken. They have also handed the governor a greater responsibility, to make the confidence they have placed in him worth the vote.
