Adeleke Leads Osun Governorship Race as INEC Prepares Final Declaration

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has reportedly moved into celebration mode after provisional results from the August 15 governorship election placed his Accord Party ahead of the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji. While the figures have not yet represented the final official declaration, the governor was reportedly spotted dancing, celebrating and thanking God as supporters waited for INEC to complete the process. The latest available figures showed Adeleke ahead by more than 57,000 votes with results from 331 of the state’s 332 wards reported.

The Dance Before the Declaration

In what could easily become Osun’s most carefully timed political dance of the year, Adeleke reportedly celebrated as the numbers continued to favour his camp. The governor had entered the election as the Accord candidate after leaving the PDP and securing the Accord ticket for his re-election bid, and the provisional figures now suggest that his decision to change political jerseys may have produced the result his camp wanted.

But while the dancing may have started, INEC still holds the official whistle. The latest figures available showed Adeleke with 461,876 votes against Oyebamiji’s 404,713, leaving a 57,163-vote advantage. With the final declaration still being the constitutional responsibility of INEC, supporters may celebrate, but political mathematics is apparently refusing to close the calculator just yet.

Thanking God While Osun Waits

Adeleke’s reported thanksgiving has added another layer of drama to an election that has already witnessed allegations of vote-buying, violence and other electoral infractions. An EU-supported election observation group reported 323 electoral offences and 38 security incidents, including cases of vote trading, exposed ballots, voter obstruction and inducement.

For the moment, the governor appears to be enjoying the moment while his supporters wait for INEC to put the final stamp on the numbers. The political message is obvious: Adeleke’s camp believes victory is within reach, while Oyebamiji’s supporters will be watching the remaining collation with the seriousness of people checking their bank balance after an unexpected debit.

OGM News NG will continue to monitor the final declaration and developments surrounding the Osun governorship election. Until INEC officially speaks, the celebration remains a celebration of a lead—not yet the final certificate of victory.