OSUN 2026: ADELEKE COASTS TOWARD VICTORY AS BVAS STUMBLES, VOTE-BUYING CLAIMS AND VIOLENCE MAR POLL

Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party has opened a commanding lead in the 2026 Osun State governorship election as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) continues the final collation of results, turning what was expected to be a straightforward political contest into a familiar Nigerian electoral drama featuring technology complaints, allegations of vote buying and pockets of violence. Current reports show Adeleke ahead of APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji in the provisional results, although INEC had yet to make a final declaration at the time of reporting.

With results from most of the state’s polling units already uploaded to the IReV portal, Adeleke has maintained a substantial advantage. Reports indicate that the contest has largely been between the incumbent governor and Oyebamiji, while the Centre for Democracy and Development described the election as largely peaceful despite technical difficulties, alleged inducements and isolated violence.

BVAS Fails, Gunshots Reported, Yet Adeleke Marches Toward Osun Victory

The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, designed to strengthen voter authentication, became one of the unexpected characters in Saturday’s electoral drama. Complaints emerged from several polling units over devices that reportedly struggled to recognise voters’ faces or fingerprints, delaying accreditation and, in some cases, preventing voters from casting their ballots. Similar concerns were raised by Adeleke’s campaign organisation, which alleged that some affected locations were political strongholds of the incumbent.

In one reported case, Professor Olayinka Ajala said the BVAS device at his polling unit could neither recognise his face nor capture his thumbprint despite repeated attempts by officials. The satire practically writes itself: Nigeria has apparently reached the technological age where a machine can recognise almost everything except the person standing directly in front of it. Still, the technical complaints are serious because failures in voter accreditation can affect confidence in the integrity of the process.

Votes, Cash and Gunshots Compete for Attention

Beyond the BVAS problems, allegations of vote buying became another major feature of the election. Reports from different parts of Osun alleged that voters were offered money in exchange for their support, while some accounts claimed that political agents had obtained voters’ bank details ahead of the election. Independent monitoring groups also flagged vote buying as one of the issues requiring attention.

Then came the less entertaining part of the political theatre: reports of intimidation, ballot-box snatching, arrests and sporadic gunshots in parts of the state. Violence was reported around Ejigbo and Osogbo, while security concerns accompanied allegations of attempts to interfere with electoral materials. Despite these incidents, observers said the overall election remained largely peaceful.

As INEC’s collation continued, Adeleke’s lead appeared increasingly difficult for Oyebamiji to overturn, with reports showing the incumbent ahead across a significant number of local government areas. Yet the difference between a provisional lead and a declared victory remains important: until the Returning Officer formally announces the final result, the electoral story is still officially unfinished. OGM News NG will continue monitoring the collation, the competing claims and any official declaration as Osun waits for the final political whistle