Politics
Adeleke promises to correct past mistakes after re-election
OSUN State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has assured the state residents that he will not disappoint them after securing a second term in office.
He promised to consolidate his administration’s achievements and correct its shortcomings.
Adeleke gave the assurance on Sunday at a press conference in Osogbo, shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission declared him the winner of Saturday, August 15, governorship election.
“As you have trusted me again for the second term in office, I will not disappoint you. To serve you better, I will reinforce my strong points and correct my errors under my renewed five-point agenda,” he said.
The governor, who contested on the platform of the Accord Party, dedicated his victory to the people of the state. He said their resilience and commitment to democracy prevailed after months of electioneering.
“In the last few months, Osun people have been under very intense pressure. Today, the issues are settled by the grace of God and people. I, therefore, dedicate this victory to the good people of Osun State. I deeply appreciate your resilience, your strong will, and your unwavering commitment to democracy,” he said.
The governor also expressed appreciation to supporters of democracy and the media for their roles in the election.
He said the extensive coverage of the poll helped strengthen democratic participation. He expressed gratitude to those who supported his campaign from within and outside Nigeria.
“Most importantly, I thank the media for standing by me, by us. The constant coverage in support of democracy emboldened us. We are grateful,” he said.
Adeleke, while extending an olive branch to his opponents, declared that his victory should not be viewed as a defeat for other contestants, stressing that he remained governor for all residents of the state.
He further outlined his broader economic vision for the state, saying his administration would work towards transforming Osun from a predominantly civil-service-based economy into an industrial and investment hub.
The ICIR reported that the governor was declared winner at about 7:24 a.m. on Sunday by the State Returning Officer, Joshua Ogunwole, a professor and Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti.
Adeleke polled 511,067 votes to defeat his closest challenger, the All-Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes – giving the incumbent a margin of 66,252 votes.
The African Democratic Congress candidate, Najeem Salam, finished third with 17,180 votes.
Adeleke won 19 of Osun’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji secured 11.
The result represents a stronger numerical performance for Adeleke than his 2022 victory as the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, when he polled 403,371 votes to defeat the then-incumbent APC candidate, Gboyega Oyetola, who scored 375,027 votes. Adeleke won 17 LGAs in that election, compared with Oyetola’s 13.
Adeleke subsequently left the PDP amid a crisis within the party and joined the Accord Party ahead of the 2026 election.
Adeleke announced in December 2025 that he had chosen Accord as his new political platform, saying the party’s emphasis on citizens’ and workers’ welfare aligned with his administration’s priorities. He later emerged as the party’s governorship candidate after its primary in Osogbo.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.