Osun Defender Newspaper Online Version of August 17, 2026

MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2026

VOL 21 NO 65

Osun 2026: APC Govs Booed As Adeleke Wins Re-election

●Residents Troop Out To Celebrate Governor’s Victory ●We Are Studying Results — APC

•Governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Oyebamiji casting his vote at his polling unit in Ikire on Saturday

•A cross section of voters jubilating over Governor Adeleke’s re-election, yesterday

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HE re-elec on of Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, sparked widespread jubila on across the state on Sunday, with residents who had gathered in an cipaon of his victory booing some All Progressives Congress (APC) governors, senators and other party leaders who had stormed Osogbo to support the party’s governorship candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji.

The development occurred in the early hours of Sunday, with videos seen by OSUN DEFENDER on social media showing residents lined along the Gbongan/Ibadan Road in Osogbo booing APC chie ains as they moved through the area.

The residents had reportedly gathered along the road awai ng the official declara on of Adeleke’s re-elec on, amid growing feelers from within the colla on process that the incum-

bent governor had secured another term.

The videos, which captured the atmosphere around 3am on

Photos: ChannelsTV

Sunday, showed residents reac ng loudly as APC governors, senators and other party bigwigs passed through the

area.

The APC leaders had been in Osogbo since the previous week as part of efforts to mobilise support for Oyebamiji, who

contested against Adeleke on the pla orm of the opposi on party.

The booing came hours before the Inde•Continued on page 2

Osun Guber: Widespread Vote Buying, Intimidation Mar Poll P 5

MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2026

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Osun 2026: APC Govs Booed As Adeleke Wins...

•Continued from Page 1 pendent Na onal Electoral Commission formally declared Adeleke the winner of the elecon.

The State Returning Officer, Professor Joshua Ogunwole, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Eki , declared Adeleke the winner at about 7:24am on Sunday.

Adeleke, the candidate of the Accord Party, polled 511,067 votes to defeat Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes.

The governor won 19 of the 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won 11 local government areas.

The official declaraon triggered further celebra ons across the state, with residents and Accord supporters trooping into major streets and gathering at strategic loca ons to celebrate Adeleke’s return to office.

In Osogbo, celebraons were recorded around the INEC State Office, Oke-Fia and Old Garage, while similar scenes were witnessed at Ilesa Garage and Ereja Roundabout in Ilesa.

Large crowds also gathered in Ede, Adeleke’s hometown, where residents celebrated the outcome with singing, dancing and the display of party insignia.

The celebra ons later spread to several other communi es across the state as supporters described the result as an endorsement of the governor’s first-term performance.

Speaking a er his victory was declared, Adeleke described the outcome as a victory for democracy and the people of Osun State.

“It’s no victor, no vanquished,” the governor said, calling for reconcilia on a er the keenly contested elec on.

Adeleke also disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had called to congratulate him on his victory.

“I want to seize this opportunity to thank Mr President. Mr President has called me and he has congratulated me. Thank you, Mr President, for making sure democracy lives on because you fought for it,” he said.

The governor a ributed his victory to the people’s assessment of his administra on’s performance in infrastructure, healthcare, security and other sectors.

“The victory is a way

Osun people is repaying me for the infrastructural developments, health,

security and other things I have delivered for my people,” Adeleke said.

He also expressed hope that Oyebamiji would accept the result

•Former President Olusegun Obasanjo in a warm embrace with Governor Adeleke at the Adeleke country home, Ede, yesterday

and personally congratulate him.

“I am expec ng the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, to call me and congratulate me,” he said.

However, the APC has not conceded defeat, saying it is studying the results from across the state before deciding its next course of ac on.

The party’s Director of Media and Informaon, Kola Olabisi, said the leadership was consul ng its lawyers on whether to pursue the legal op ons available under the Electoral Act 2026.

The APC urged its members and supporters to remain calm and avoid provoca on while also calling on the Nigeria Police Force to protect members it alleged were being molested by opposi on supporters.

The party maintained that an elec on was a process extending beyond the declara on of results and said it would not hesitate to explore available legal avenues a er consulta ons with its legal team.

It stated, “We make bold to state categorically that as a progressive party which is founded on the unalloyed principle of the rule of law, fairness and jus ce, we shall not hesitate without further delay to explore the window allowed by the extant Electoral Act a er the due consulta on with the team of our lawyers based on their professional advice.”

The APC also appealed to its supporters to remain steadfast, insis ng that “it is not over un l it is over.”

The contras ng scenes across Osun — from the early-morning booing of APC leaders along the Gbongan/ Ibadan Road to the celebra ons that followed Adeleke’s official declara on — underscored the intense emo ons surrounding the governorship contest.

While Adeleke begins prepara ons for another four-year term, the APC’s decision on whether to challenge the result could determine the next phase of the poli cal contest in the state.

‘Take Heart, Politics Is A Betting Game’ - Ero-Arike Consoles APC Supporters

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chie ain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Falilat Yusuf, popularly known as Ero-Arike, has consoled members of the party and its supporters to remain calm and take heart following the party’s defeat in Saturday’s Osun State governorship

elec on.

Ero-Arike, in a message shared on social media, described poli cs as a “be ng game” in which victory and defeat could depend on luck, urging APC supporters not to lose hope over the elec on outcome.

“I want to speak

on the issue reigning in town. That is how poli cs is. It is a be ng game. It depends on luck,” she said.

She recalled her experience during the 2018 Osun governorship elec on, saying she supported the Adeleke family despite the eventual

Osun Poll: Tinubu, Obasanjo, Salaam, ADC Congratulate Adeleke

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RESIDENT Bola Tinubu, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, African Democra c Congress governorship candidate, Dr. Najeem Salaam and the party at the na onal level have congratulated Governor Ademola Adeleke on his re-elecon in the August 15 Osun State governorship elec on.

Adeleke of the Accord Party was declared winner by the Independent Na onal Electoral Commission a er polling 511,067 votes across the state. His closest challenger, the APC candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, scored 444,815 votes, while Salaam of the ADC came third with

17,180 votes.

Tinubu, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Informa on and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the outcome reflected the confidence reposed in Adeleke by the people of Osun.

The President urged Adeleke to use his renewed mandate to unite the people of the state and focus on development, irrespec ve of their poli cal affiliaons.

Tinubu also commended the other contestants for their conduct during the elec on, describing their par cipa on as a contribu on to Nigeria’s democra c development.

“I called Governor

Ademola Adeleke earlier today to congratulate him on his elec on victory in Osun State. His victory once again confirmed the confidence the people of Osun State have in him.

“Now that he has won, Governor Adeleke must unite the people of Osun State and rally them for growth, stability, and social and economic progress, regardless of the poli cal choices they made at the elec on.

“I salute the courage and discipline displayed by other contestants in the elec on. Their parcipa on deepened and enriched our country’s democra c culture,” the President said.

•Continued on Page 7

victory of the APC candidate, Gboyega Oyetola.

“The first elec on between Gboyega Oyetola and Nurudeen Jackson, I supported the Adelekes. I stood for them and they cannot deny that.

But we were defeated and Oyetola became governor.

“There was no threat of any kind to my life.

They had no idea that I would s ll join them,” she added.

Addressing APC supporters over the party’s latest defeat, Ero-Arike urged them not to be discouraged, stressing that electoral contests could produce different outcomes.

“Now, to all APC supporters, please take heart. That is how polics is. Poli cs is a betng game. Poli cians will fight. APC will fight PDP. PDP will also fight APC . It all depends on luck,” she said.

OSUN DEFENDER reports that Ero-Arike had been a controversial figure in the APC’s campaign in the build-up to the elec on.

She came under cri cism over several social media appearances in which she vigorously canvassed support for

the party, including videos where she was seen sharing bags of rice and other items with residents, as well as making remarks that a racted public a en on and controversy.

Despite the defeat, she expressed confidence in the APC governorship candidate, Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, saying he would not be discouraged by the outcome.

“I know Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji won’t lose hope because he is not the first to be defeated. And despite the defeat, we s ll love him. We are right behind him.

“By God’s grace, he will also become Osun governor,” she added.

•Alhaja Arike

PEOPLE FIRST

MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2026

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HE outcome of Saturday’s Osun governorship elec on offers more than a verdict on the compe ng candidates. It is also a reflec on of the state of Nigeria’s democracy, the choices available to voters and, importantly, the consequences of poli cal choices.

The winning Accord Party showed a measure of intellectual honesty in acknowledging that the elec on was not en rely free and fair. That admission is significant because democracy cannot be strengthened by pretending that its processes are perfect when there are credible concerns about vote-buying, in mida on, manipula on and the deployment of state power.

Beyond the controversies surrounding the conduct of the elecon, however, the vo ng pa ern deserves serious a en on. The tac cal vo ng witnessed on Saturday was understandable. In many respects, it was a manifesta on of growing frustra on with a poli cal system that too o en presents voters with personalies and party structures without sufficiently clear programmes for governance.

The elec on exposed a deeper crisis in the defini on and pracce of poli cs in Nigeria. At different points, it resembled a theatre of the absurd, some mes with consequences that were lifethreatening.

The heavy presence of security personnel in a supposedly democra c se ng was par cularly troubling. While their presence may have reassured some voters, a democracy should not require an atmosphere resembling a state of siege before ci zens can exercise their cons tu onal rights.

The broader economic context cannot also be ignored. Nigeria’s poli cal economy remains heavily lted towards consump on

damental reforms.

Most importantly, elec ons cannot be separated from economic reality. They influence investor confidence, poli cal stability, job crea on and the prospects for sustainable development. Elec ons have consequences far beyond who wins or loses.

The tac cal vo ng in Osun should therefore be understood as more than a rejec on of one party or an endorsement of another. It was, in part, a demand for something more substan al from poli cal leadership: ideas, direc on and clear programmes capable of addressing ci zens’ reali es.

This is the me to put thinking and programmes at the centre of poli cal mobilisa on. Poli cal par es must move beyond slogans, personality cults and elec on-season inducements.

Voters should be presented with clear alterna ves on educa on, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, industrialisa on and job crea on.

In this regard, the contribu on of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola deserves renewed a en on. Over the past decade, he has consistinterrogate poli cal promises and ently ar culated an alterna ve how to demand accountability af- perspec ve on Nigeria’s poli cal and economic challenges, while ter elec ons.

Nigeria’s democra c ins tu- his record in public office demonons also did not emerge from strates how ideas can be translatSaturday’s exercise with flying ed into programmes and prac cal colours. Ques ons remain about outcomes. As Babafemi Ojudu retheir independence, professional- cently pointed out, Aregbesola’s ism and technical capacity. These ideas and proven capacity for challenges are connected to the transla ng programmes into praclarger problem of patronage in ce con nue to resonate.

Moving forward, such ideas public appointments. Too o en, be deployed not merely for competence and merit give way must poli cal mobilisa on but also for to “man-know-man”. voter educa on and The con nued failure to imple- sustained public enlightenment. Nigerians ment major recommenda ons need to interrogate programmes, of electoral reform ini a ves, compare alterna ves and judge including those of the Jus ce poli cians by what they intend to Uwais Electoral Reform Com- achieve and how they intend to mi ee, has also slowed progress achieve it. towards credible elec ons. NiThe Osun elec on has ended, geria must stop postponing funbut its lessons should not. Nigeria cannot OSUN DEFENDER build a durable dePublisher – Moremi Publishing mocracy on poverty, House Ltd. patronage and deDeputy Editor – Michael Bamigbola pendency. It must Deputy Photo Editor – Shola Aderinto strengthen electoral Deputy Graphics Manager – Zainab Olalere ins tu ons, deepen voter educa on, Produc on Controller – Petkola Taiwo Ibitowa promote a producve economy and OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing make ideas and proHouse Limited, Behind Oranmiyan Building, Gbodofon, grammes the centre Off Gbongan Road, Osogbo, Osun State. of poli cal compe ISSN : 0794-8050 on.

Telephone : 0809-301-9152 Elec ons have Website : www.osundefender.com/index.php consequences. The e-mail : osundefenderhq@gmail.com ques on is whether osundefenderbank@gmail.com we are prepared to All correspondence to the above email addresses. learn from them.

Elections Have Consequences!

and rent-seeking rather than produc on. This creates fer le ground for the manipula on of vulnerable ci zens. A produc ve economy is necessary to create jobs, expand the middle class and build the economic independence that enables ci zens to par cipate meaningfully in democracy.

The widespread vote-buying witnessed on Saturday demonstrated the consequences of the present arrangement. Poverty was weaponised by sec ons of the poli cal elite, with ci zens offered immediate financial inducements in exchange for their votes.

Such a system creates a dangerous patron-client rela onship in which “The Osun election has poli cians seek to keep ci zens ended, but its lessons should permanently dependent on them. is a modern form of poli cal not end with the declaration That servitude. of the result. The real test There was, however, an impornow is whether political ac- tant silver lining. Some voters aptors, civil society, the media peared increasingly unwilling to and citizens will learn from be treated as passive recipients poli cal inducements. Some what happened and demand of openly mocked those a emp ng a different political culture. to buy their votes, while others Nigeria cannot build a du- reportedly collected money ofrable democracy on poverty, fered to them and redistributed Beneath the humour lies an impatronage and political de- it. portant development: voters are pendency. Neither can it becoming more conscious of the build a prosperous economy value of their votes.

This emerging resistance must on weak institutions and elections that continually be encouraged through sustained voter educa on. Ci zens need to generate doubts about their understand not only how to vote credibility” but why their votes ma er, how to

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MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2026

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Photo Speaks O

DECIDES 2026

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MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2026

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Osun Guber: Widespread Vote Buying, Intimidation Mar Poll

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IDESPREAD allega ons of vote-buying, voter in mida on, violence, disrup on of voting and technical glitches marred Saturday’s Osun State governorship elecon, with the opposi on African Democra c Congress (ADC) alleging that its candidate, Dr. Najeem Salaam, survived an assassina on a empt at his polling unit in Ejigbo.

The elec on, which was eventually won by the incumbent Governor and candidate of the Accord Party, Ademola Adeleke, also a racted concerns from civil society organisa ons monitoring the exercise, who reported alleged voter inducement in Boluwaduro, disrup ons in Ejigbo and Modakeke, an alleged ballot box incident in Boripe and technical challenges involving the Bimodal Voter Accreditaon System.

Adeleke was declared winner by the Independent Na onal Electoral Commission (INEC) at about 7:24am on Sunday a er securing 511,067 votes to defeat his closest challenger, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes. Adeleke won 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won 11.

But beyond the final figures, Saturday’s exercise was characterised by a series of allega ons which could fuel fresh ques ons about the credibility of the process.

The most drama c incident occurred at Ward 04, Polling Unit 013 in Ejigbo Local Government Area, shortly a er Salaam cast his ballot.

-A empted Assassina on A empt On My Life Shocking — Salaam The ADC Governorship Campaign Council said poli cal thugs invaded the polling unit and disrupted vo ng in an incident it described as an a empted assassina on of the party’s candidate.

Salaam, speaking a er the incident, said the attack was targeted at him and appeared to have been carefully planned.

“The plan was to even a ack me. That alone was to a ack me, my personality. It is because of my strategic movement from that area that made it impossible for him to a ack me.”

He said the incident occurred barely a minute a er he voted, stressing that the polling unit had

been peaceful before his arrival.

“It is not a small thing; it is a big thing. It is a wellplanned thing.”

The ADC candidate said his security personnel quickly moved him away from the scene, adding that their interven on prevented the situa on from escalating.

He also expressed concern about the impact of the incident on voters, par cularly elderly people who were forced to flee the polling unit.

“The elderly women and men, they ran away to save their lives. So, how could a woman be happy with this?”

Salaam called for a thorough inves ga on, saying a suspect reportedly arrested in connecon with the incident should remain in custody and be ques oned over the mo ve behind the a ack.

“Even a er the elecon, the guy needs to be ques oned. Why? Is it really me?”

The ADC Campaign Council, in its statement signed by its spokesperson, Nurein Adebisi, subsequently accused political thugs of disrup ng vo ng at the Ejigbo polling unit and demanded the arrest and prosecuon of those responsible for the incident.

The council also passed a vote of no confidence in INEC and the security agencies, accusing them of failing to adequately protect voters, party agents and candidates.

It alleged that similar incidents were recorded in different parts of the state, including vote-buying, in midaon, harassment of ADC agents, manipula on of electoral materials and disrup on of vo ng.

The council specifically complained about the alleged exclusion of its agents from some polling units, arguing that the presence of accredited agents was necessary to safeguard the integrity of vo ng, coun ng and result transmission.

-As CSOs Seek Transparency In Electoral Process Meanwhile, civil society organisa ons monitoring the elec on also raised concerns over alleged electoral malpracce.

The Elec on Day Situa on Room, coordinated by the Public and Private Development

•Attempted Assassination Attempt On My Life Shocking — Salaam •As CSOs Seek Transparency In Electoral Process

•Voters on qeue at ward 04 unit 01, 7up area Ogo-Oluwa, Osogbo on Saturday

Centre, reported alleged vote-buying in Boluwaduro, disrup ons in Ejigbo and Modakeke, and an alleged ballot box incident in Boripe.

The coali on also reported the harassment of a Dataphyte journalist covering the elec on.

The CSOs urged INEC to resolve outstanding BVAS challenges and called on security agencies, poli cal par es, candidates and voters to protect the secrecy of the ballot and ensure that the results reflect the will of the electorate.

The reports are par cularly significant given that INEC had repeatedly warned poli cal actors and voters against vote-buying and electoral violence ahead of the elec on.

As the elec on result emerged on Sunday, the APC said it was studying results from across the 332 wards before deciding its next line of ac on.

The party, through its Director of Media and Informa on, Kola Olabisi, said its leadership was consul ng its lawyers on whether to challenge aspects of the elec on under the Electoral Act 2026.

The APC urged its members and supporters to remain calm and avoid provoca on, while also calling on the Nigeria Police Force to protect members it alleged were being molested by opposi on supporters.

The party said it would explore all available legal avenues a er consulta ons with its lawyers, stressing that the electoral process did not necessarily end with the declara on of results.

Adeleke’s Re-election Not Due To Performance – Omipidan Shola Aderinto

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ORMER Chief Press Secretary to ex-Governor Gboyega Oyetola, Ismail Omipidan, has stated that while Governor Ademola Adeleke is a likeable person, he has not demonstrated enough capacity to lead Osun State.

Omipidan stated this

on Sunday during a programme on Trust TV, where he spoke on the outcome of Saturday’s governorship elec on, said that it would be “preposterous” for anyone to conclude that Adeleke was re-elected because of his performance in office.

According to him, apart

Adeleke Campaign Council Begins Review of Electoral Violence

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HE Imole Campaign Council, the campaign group of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, has commenced a postelec on review of the Osun State governorship elec on and directed its structures across the state’s 30 local government areas to document vic ms of elec onrelated violence.

The council announced the exercise in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Pelumi Olajengbesi.

According to the statement, the documenta on will cover people affected by violence before, during and shortly a er the August 15 governorship elec on.

The council said the exercise would capture voters and other residents who sustained injuries, families who lost loved ones, people whose proper es were damaged or destroyed, and other iden fiable vic ms of elec on-related violence.

Olajengbesi stressed that the exercise would not be limited to members or supporters of the Accord Party, which backed Governor Ademola Adeleke’s reelec on bid.

“Importantly, this exercise is not party-focused.

Every vic m must be documented irrespec ve of poli cal affilia on, party membership or vo ng preference,” he said.

The campaign council directed its structures at the local government level to compile comprehensive and verifiable records of vic ms and submit them for further review and possible ac on.

The review comes a er the elec on, which recorded reports of violence and other security incidents in parts of the state.

While celebra ng Adeleke’s victory, the council acknowledged that the electoral process had le some families dealing with injuries, deaths and property losses.

“While we are grateful to God and to the people of Osun State for the outcome of the elec on, we recognise that our victory cannot erase the pain of families who suffered losses or injuries in the course of the electoral process,” Olajengbesi said.

He described the review as part of responsible leadership a er the poli cal contest, stressing that the human consequences of elec ons should not be ignored a er results have been declared.

The council also urged its structures to verify all informa on collected before submi ng their reports.

“The elec on is over.

Our common humanity must now take precedence over poli cal differences,” Olajengbesi said.

from road construc on and payment of salaries, the administra on has li le to show.

He stated that paying salaries should no longer be used as a major achievement, given the increased alloca ons currently going to states from the federaon account.

He said, “I have always said that Adeleke is a likeable person. However, in terms of capacity to lead as a leader, for me, and I stand to be challenged, he has not demonstrated enough capacity to lead the state.

“Apart from building roads and paying salaries, there is nothing he has done, and the alloca on that is going to States today will make it difficult for a governor to say he cannot pay salaries.”

Omipidan added that most of the roads claimed to have been constructed by the government are substandard.

Ci ng an example, Omipidan said the road leading to his local government was patched less than a month a er it was completed.

“The roads that he claimed to have constructed, most of them were substandard. The one leading to my local government was patched less than a month later, and they had already started patching the road,” he added.

The former CPS said Osun poli cs and its dynamics need deeper study, no ng that former Governor Chief Bisi Akande performed excellently well but was not rewarded with a second term.

He also recalled serving under a governor at a cri cal period in Nigeria’s history when federal allocaons were lean, yet the administra on delivered and was s ll not given a second term.

MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2026

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Reproduce Osun Governorship Poll’s Template In 2027, Yiaga Africa Tasks INEC Michael Bamigbola

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HE Chairman, 2026 Osun Elec on Observa on Mission of Yiaga Africa, Dr. Asmau Maikudi, on Sunday tasked the Independent Na onal Electoral Commission (INEC) to reproduce the success of the recently concluded gubernatorial elec on in the state during the 2027 general elecos.

She noted that the electoral umpire had demonstrated that it can meet a high opera onal standard, apply the Electoral Act 2026 and transmit results transparently when the elec on is well resourced and closely watched.

Maikudi, who gave the charge while presen ng post-elec on report of the group backed by European Union (EU), underscored the need for INEC to replicate its success in August 15 exercise across 176,000 polling units and 36 states in 2027.

“The task for INEC is

therefore to convert the lessons from Osun into ins tu onal standards.

That means strengthening quality assurance for sensi ve materials; resolving inconsistencies in voter data; standardizing implementa on of downloadable PVCs and other provisions of the Electoral Act 2026,” she said.

She called for improved transparency of INEC Results Viewing (IREV) portal and ins tuonalizing prompt public communica on whenever technological or operaonal failures occur.

Maikudi also challenged security agencies to sustain neutrality while significantly strengthening enforcement against vote buying, in mida on, and electoral violence.”

Outlining the group recommenda on, she said “INEC should issue binding, uniform guidance to presiding officers on the acceptance of downloadable PVCs and usage for voter accredita on.

“They should conduct a comprehensive postelec on technical audit of the BVAS devices to iden fy the causes of the

failures and strengthen device tes ng, maintenance and rapid technical support to minimise disrup ons to voter accredi-

ta on ahead of the 2027 general elec ons.”

Other recommendaons include publica on of causes of BVAS authen-

ca on failures recorded during accredita on of voters together with the remedial measures to be applied in 2027.

•Chief returning officer for the Osun State Governorship election and other INEC Officials at the INEC collation centre in Osogbo yesterday

Opinion How Adeleke Won Osun 2026: The Electoral Movements Behind the 66,252-Vote Victory

By Rasheed Adebiyi, PhD

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O, Ademola Adeleke won again. But that is only the beginning of the story. The real story is hidden inside the numbers. How does a governor who won by 28,344 votes in 2022 return four years later to win by 66,252? How does he do it a er changing par es? Why does the APC, despite increasing its own vote, s ll lose ground? Why does a candidate win his home territory by almost 19,000 votes and yet lose the state by more than 66,000?

And what happened to the Osun electoral map between 2022 and 2026? These are the ques ons that make the final result more than a victory margin. They turn it into a poli cal story about iden ty, incumbency, personal branding, local loyal es, poli cal networks and the changing behaviour of the Osun electorate.

The numbers suggest that Adeleke did not simply defend the coali on that brought him to office in 2022. He expanded it. And that may be the most important thing about the 2026 elec on.

The Numbers Tell The First Part Of The Story Elec ons are o en described by their final numbers: who won, who lost and by how many votes. But numbers become more revealing when they are placed beside the map of the previous elec on and examined for the movements beneath the headline.

The 2026 Osun governorship elec on provides such an opportunity. Governor Ademola Adeleke, running on the pla orm of the Accord Party, polled 511,067 votes, defeating the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes. The final margin was 66,252 votes. It was a substan al improvement on Adeleke’s 2022 victory, when he defeated Gboyega Oyetola by 28,344 votes, polling 403,371 votes against Oyetola’s 375,027.

Yet the 2026 result should not be interpreted as an APC collapse. The APC actually increased its vote by almost 70,000 compared with 2022. Adeleke’s increase was considerably larger more than 107,000 votes. The essen al story, therefore, is not that the APC disappeared. It is that Adeleke grew faster. That growth changed the electoral mathema cs of Osun.

The Ede Founda on Became Stronger The first place to look is Ede. In 2022, Adeleke’s greatest electoral advantage came from Ede North and Ede South. The two local government areas provided him with a combined margin of more than 28,000 votes. Four years later, the fortress became even stronger.

In Ede North, Adeleke scored 35,427 votes against APC’s 10,283, giving him a margin of 25,144. In Ede South, he recorded 26,188 votes against 6,219, a margin of 19,969.

Together, the two LGAs produced an Adeleke advantage of approximately 45,000 votes. This is important not merely because of the size of the numbers but because of what Ede represents in Adeleke’s poli cal iden ty. His rela onship with the area is intensely personal. The 2026 result demonstrates that the movement from PDP to Accord did not fracture that base.

If anything, it strengthened it. But Ede alone could not have produced a 66,252-vote statewide victory. The decisive story was what happened beyond Adeleke’s tradi onal base.

The East Moved And That Changed The Equa on The most consequen al movement occurred in Osun East. In 2022, the APC narrowly carried the senatorial district, with Oyetola receiving 121,873 votes against Adeleke’s 120,080. The margin was only 1,793 votes. The 2026 results reveal a much more complicated landscape, but one in which Adeleke made important gains, par cularly around the Ife axis.He won Ife North with 13,879 votes against APC’s 9,613; Ife Central with 21,171 against 15,913; and Ife East with 27,201 against 18,600. The Ife East result is par cularly revealing.

In 2022, the APC held the LGA by a narrow margin. In 2026, Adeleke won it by 8,601 votes. Ife Central tells a similar story. An APC advantage in 2022 became an Adeleke advantage in 2026. These were not marginal changes. They represented the penetra on of an electoral territory that had previously formed part of the APC’s defensive wall.

This is one of the strongest reasons why the 2026 result cannot simply be described as a repeat of 2022. Adeleke did not only protect his territory. He took territory.

But Irewole tells the opposite story If Ede illustrates the power of Adeleke’s personal and local iden ty, Irewole illustrates the power of the homecandidate effect. Oyebamiji won Irewole decisively. He scored 29,972 votes against Adeleke’s 10,934, giving the APC candidate a margin of 19,038 votes. The scale of the victory is striking.

In 2022, the APC also won Irewole, but its margin was far smaller. The 2026 result transformed it into one of Oyebamiji’s strongest areas. The poli cal interpreta on is compelling: a candidate’s connec on to his immediate poli cal and geographical cons tuency can produce extraordinary mobilisa on.

There was a powerful local message embedded in the

result—if the state was going to produce a governor, why should that governor not come from the axis? But Irewole also demonstrates the limita on of local mobilisa on.

Oyebamiji could win his home territory by almost 19,000 votes and s ll lose the state by more than 66,000. The APC candidate won a home front; Adeleke won the broader map.

The APC Did Not Collapse This is perhaps the most important correc ve to some of the early interpreta ons of the elec on. The APC remained strong. It won Boripe with 19,963 votes against Adeleke’s 12,448. It won Ilesa East, Obokun, Atakumosa West and East, Irepodun, Irewole and several other areas.

Indeed, in some of these places the APC’s performance was formidable.

The problem was not that the APC lacked voters. It was that its voters were concentrated in territories that could not compensate for Adeleke’s accumulated margins elsewhere. This is the classic difference between holding a base and expanding a coali on. Oyebamiji held important APC territory. Adeleke expanded beyond his.

Six Lgas Changed Hands The final results show that Adeleke captured six LGAs that had supported the APC in 2022: Ayedaade, Ayedire, Ife Central, Ife East, Ifedayo and Iwo. At the same me, he lost some of the areas that had supported him four years earlier, including Atakumosa West, Irepodun, Obokun and Olorunda. The net movement was therefore not an electoral tsunami across every part of Osun. It was more subtle.

Adeleke exchanged some territory while gaining other, electorally important territory. This is what makes the result analy cally interes ng. The 2026 map was not simply redrawn in one direc on. It was reweighted. The places Adeleke gained, combined with the larger margins he achieved in his strongholds, were sufficient to transform a 28,344-vote victory into a 66,252-vote victory.

The Omisore Paradox The result also raises ques ons about poli cal structures that exist beyond formal party labels. Former deputy governor and influen al Osun poli cian Iyiola Omisore publicly maintained his affilia on with the APC during the campaign. Yet there were reports of poli cal structures associated with him moving towards Adeleke. More symboli•Read full article on www.osundefender.com •Adebiyi, a teacher and researcher is an Associate Professor of Mass Communication at Fountain University, Osogbo

PEOPLE FIRST

Features

MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2026

7

Osun 2026 Guber Election: The Morning After

By Abosede Oluwaseun

T

HE morning a er is not the easiest morning. It is a morning that comes with mixed emo ons; disappointment over the outcome, exhaus on from the journey, but also a deep sense of gra tude and reflec on.

The result is not what the en re ADC family expected or worked for. We believed we had done enough to earn a different outcome. But in poli cs, as in life, there are moments when the result does not immediately reflect the depth of the sacrifice, commitment and work that went into the journey.

We must accept the outcome with courage, learn from it and, above all, remain proud of what we collec vely built.

When we look back at where we started, however, we cannot honestly say that we are where we were before this elec-

on. We built structures across the 30 Local Governments, 332 Wards and 3,763 Units. We registered and mobilised thousands of members, established communica on and media structures, embarked on Local Government and Federal Cons tuency tours, organised rallies and stakeholder engagements, sustained radio and public advocacy, and worked relentlessly to put ADC in the consciousness of the people of Osun. We spent months building something that did not exist at this scale before. We may not have achieved the final des na on we desired, but we certainly travelled much farther than where we began.

We must also remember the countless people who gave their me, resources, ideas, vehicles, offices, phones, platforms and personal energy to this project. From those who worked in the

situa on rooms to those who travelled to remote communi es; from ward and local government officers to polling-unit agents; from media volunteers to campaign coordinators; from the people who stood in the rain and sun at rallies to those who quietly worked behind the scenes, every contribuon ma ered. The elecon has ended, but the rela onships, structures, experience and lessons acquired through this process remain. The ADC we have today is more visible, more organised and more deeply rooted in Osun than the ADC we started with.

The result sheet may record numbers, but numbers alone cannot tell the en re story of this journey. What it cannot fully capture is the courage it took to enter a difficult poli cal space, the sacrifices made by ordinary peo-

ple who believed in the possibility of change, and the determina on with which our candidate, our leadership and our en re team carried this campaign. We should examine everything honestly; the things we did well, the things we could have done be er, the challenges we faced and the opportuni es we missed.

There should be no room for excuses, but neither should there be room for despair. Every serious poli cal movement must know how to turn disappointment into experience and experience into strength.

So, this morning a er the elec on, we should hold our heads high. We gave this contest everything we could humanly give. We may not have received the result we hoped for, but we are not the same organisa on that began this journey.

We are stronger in structure, richer in experi-

ence, broader in reach and more conscious of the work that lies ahead.

The elec on is over, but the journey is not. The morning a er is not the end of our story; it is the beginning of a new chapter_ one in which we take

the lessons, preserve the friendships, strengthen the structures and con nue building. We started somewhere; today, we are somewhere be er. And that, too, is a victory worth acknowledging.

News NUJ Osun Council Congratulates Adeleke On His Re-election, Commends Residents’ Participation

•Adeleke

T

HE Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Osun State Council, has congratulated Governor Ademola Adeleke on his re-elec on as Governor of Osun State, describing the victory as a renewed mandate and a fresh opportunity to advance the development of the state.

The NUJ, in a congratulatory message by the Chairman, Comrade Adeyemi Aboderin, and Secretary, Comrade Olalekan Akindoju, also commended the people of Osun State for their par cipa on in the

governorship elec on and for exercising their cons tu onal right to choose their preferred candidate through the ballot.

The council said the outcome of the elec on should mark the beginning of a new phase of governance in the state, urging Governor Adeleke to see his re-elec on as a call to greater service, accountability and commitment to the welfare of the people.

The union called on the governor to use his renewed mandate to consolidate on the

achievements of his administra on while paying a en on to areas where more needs to be done.

According to the council, the elec oneering period has come to an end, and the priority of all stakeholders should now be the peace, stability and development of Osun State.

The NUJ said journalists across Osun State also deserve commendaon for their professionalism and commitment to duty throughout the electoral process.

It noted that journalists worked under challenging circumstances to provide ci zens with credible, mely and factual informa on before, during and a er the elec on.

The council stressed that the media remains an important pillar of democracy and a cri cal partner in ensuring transparency, accountability and effec ve communica on between government and ci zens.

Against this background, the NUJ urged the Adeleke administraon to strengthen its rela onship with the media and con nue to

provide an enabling environment for journalists and media organisa ons to operate freely and safely.

The NUJ Osun Council expressed op mism that Governor Adeleke

would use his renewed mandate to deepen good governance, promote accountability and implement policies capable of improving the quality of life of residents.

The council wished

the governor a successful second term and called on all residents of Osun State, irrespec ve of poli cal affilia on, to unite in the interest of peace, progress and development.

Osun Poll: Tinubu, Obasanjo, Salaam, ADC...

•Continued from Page 2 Former President Olusegun Obasanjo also congratulated Adeleke, paying a surprise visit to the governor on Sunday shortly a er his victory was declared.

The visit reportedly turned into a celebratory moment, with Adeleke welcoming the elder statesman with singing and dancing.

For Salaam, who contested the elec on against Adeleke, the outcome was a reflec on of the people’s choice which, he said, must be respected regardless of poli cal differences.

The ADC candidate urged the governor to use his second term to address shortcomings in his first term while consolida ng on areas where his administraon had made progress.

Salaam further called for unity beyond par san divisions, stressing

that the state belonged to all its ci zens.

He wished Adeleke a successful second term, saying he hoped the governor’s renewed tenure would bring greater development, peace and prosperity to the state.

“I warmly congratulate His Excellency, Senator Ademola Adeleke, on his re-elec on as the Governor of Osun State. At the end of the day, the choice of the people must prevail. In any democra c process, there will always be choices, contestaon and differing views, but what ma ers most is that the people are given the opportunity to decide. Today, they have exercised that right, and their decision deserves our respect and support.

“Your Excellency, as you commence another term in office, I urge you to use this mandate as

an opportunity to reflect on the areas where your administra on may have fallen short, improve upon them and consolidate on the gains already recorded.

“Osun belongs to all of us. Beyond party lines and poli cal differences, our collec ve responsibility is to build a state where every ci zen can live with dignity, security and hope for a be er future.

“Poli cs is not a door-die affair. The people have spoken; democracy has prevailed,” Salaam declared.

Some residents of the state who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER, the congratulatory messages now come with a renewed responsibility to govern beyond the poli cal cons tuency that delivered the mandate, par cularly as he prepares for another four years in office.

ISSN : 0794 - 8050

News

MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2026 VOL. 21 NO 65 www.osundefender.com, email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com

S

OME people have asked me why Rauf Aregbesola’s candidate failed to make a strong showing in last Saturday’s elec on.

Aregbesola was not on the ballot, but the campaign effec vely put him on it. His candidate consequently came under a ack from several direc ons. The Accord Party successfully foregrounded Aregbesola’s record of paying senior civil servants half salaries while largely ignoring his achievements in human capital and infrastructural development. The “Baba Hafusa” tag—a mocking corrup on of “half salary”—was effecvely deployed to diminish his record and rubbish his legacy.

At the na onal level, an Aregbesola victory in Osun would have sent a powerful signal—not only across the Yoruba states but throughout Nigeria—about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s poli cal standing. Consequently, considerable effort was made to ensure that Aregbesola and his candidate did not perform well. In that contest, Aregbesola was regarded as the first poli cal enemy to be

Residents, Accord Supporters Jubilate Over Adeleke’s P2 Re-election

PERSPECTIVE

BY BABAFEMI OJUDU Why Osun Voters Looked Beyond Party Loyalty contained.

It is, however, uncertain whether the Accord Party’s victory in Osun will not ul mately send the very same message that an Aregbesola victory was intended to prevent. Interes ng poli cal developments lie ahead.

Even within the new party he joined, Aregbesola faced resistance. The ADC in Osun State had two broad fac ons: the progressive fac on led by Aregbesola and another with roots in the PDP. The la er ac vely worked against Ar-

“The sophistication of Osun voters must, however, be acknowledged as a significant factor in the outcome. A considerable number of ADC members independently concluded that defeating the APC—which they regarded as the greater threat—was more important than voting for their own party, which had little chance of defeating either of the two leading contenders.

They simply did not want the APC to win. Many appeared determined to bring the political career of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola and his acolytes to an end. This explains why many ADC supporters joined in celebrating the APC’s defeat after Ademola Adeleke emerged victorious”

egbesola and his Omoluabi group during the elec on. I have a strong feeling that this fac on has a firm grip of A ku Abubakar and his wife Ti and they have been able to drascally reduce their believe in him with lies and subterfuge.

I learnt from the grapevine that Aregbesola’s group received li le or no meaningful support from A ku who is the na onal of party and its Presiden al flag bearer. How A ku and this group play their cards going forward will largely determine the Omoluabis’ next poli cal move.

The sophis ca on of Osun voters must, however, be acknowledged as a significant factor in the outcome.

A considerable number of ADC members independently concluded that defea ng the APC—which they regarded as the greater threat—was more important than vo ng for their own party, which had li le chance of defea ng either of the two leading contenders.

They simply did not want the APC to win. Many appeared determined to bring the poli cal career of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola and his acolytes to an end.

This explains why many ADC supporters joined in celebrating the APC’s defeat a er Ademola Adeleke emerged victorious.

They therefore suspended their immediate par san interests and voted for the Accord Party, believing that a vote for the ADC might indirectly improve the APC’s chances. It was strategic voting: they chose the candidate they believed was best posi-

oned to achieve their overriding objec ve.

Something similar occurred during the 2011 presiden al elec on, when Osun voters, without promp ng, turned out and voted overwhelmingly for Nuhu Ribadu.

They did so despite instrucons from the leadership of the ACN at the me that we should not vote for Ribadu, even though he was the presiden al candidate of our own party. Osun was the only state where voters openly defied those instruc ons and voted for him en masse. For percep ve analysts this itself signals the beginning of the frosty rela onship that will later blow into a full crisis between Aregbesola and Tinubu.

Since 1999, Osun voters have demonstrated this independent-mindedness on more than four occasions.

They know how to set aside party loyal es when they believe a larger poli cal objec ve is at stake. They are capable of dis nguishing between the immediate appeal of party affilia on and the strategic consequences of an electoral outcome.

Osun is arguably one of Nigeria’s most cosmopolitan states. Apart from Osogbo, the state capital, it boasts major and historically significant towns such as Ilesa, Ede, Iwo, Ejigbo, Ile-Ife, Ikire, Ikirun, Ila-Orangun and OkeIla, as well as the communies of Odo-O n. Each possesses a dis nct iden ty and considerable poli cal weight; several could comfortably have served as the state capital. Few states in Nigeria possess such a constella on of important urban centres.

This diversity has helped to produce an electorate that is poli cally conscious, difficult to herd and capable of making independent calcula ons.

Osun is therefore not a state to be taken for granted—or one in which poli cal games can be played carelessly.

So, give it up for the Osun electorate. They understand the strategic value of their votes—and they know precisely when, where and how to deploy them.

•Ojudu is a veteran Journalist and served as Political Adviser to Late President Muhammadu Buhari (2016 – 2023).

OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Behind Oranmiyan Building, Gbodofon, Off Gbongan Road, Osogbo, Osun State.

All correspondence to the Deputy Editor, MICHAEL BAMIGBOLA, Telephone: 0809-301-9152. ISSN: 0794-8050.

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