By David Torough, Abuja

Governor Ademola Adeleke has won a second term in office after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared him the winner of Saturday’s Osun State governorship election.

Adeleke, the Accord Party candidate, polled 511,067 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 444,815 votes.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Najeem Salaam, finished a distant third with 17,180 votes.

The State Returning Officer, Prof. Joshua Ogunwole, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, declared Adeleke the winner at the INEC collation centre at about 7:24 a.

m. on Sunday.

Ogunwole said 1,005,800 votes were cast, comprising 985,079 valid votes and 20,721 rejected ballots. Adeleke won 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji carried 11.

The result gives Adeleke another four-year mandate after his election as governor in 2022 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He subsequently moved to the Accord Party ahead of the 2026 election.

President Bola Tinubu congratulated Adeleke on his re-election, saying the outcome reflected the will and confidence of the people of Osun State.

Tinubu said he had personally called Adeleke to congratulate him and urged the governor to use his renewed mandate to unite the people and pursue the state’s growth, stability and socio-economic development.

The President also commended the other contestants for their participation and praised INEC and the security agencies for conducting what he described as a peaceful and transparent election that produced a clear winner.

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), through its Chairman, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, similarly congratulated Adeleke, attributing his victory partly to his achievements and personal qualities.

The forum commended Osun voters for their large turnout and praised security agencies for containing the violence recorded in the days preceding the election, thereby creating a relatively secure environment for the poll.

Former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki also congratulated Adeleke, saying the result demonstrated the power of citizens to defend their democratic choices.

Former presidential candidate Peter Obi described the victory as an important democratic achievement and praised Osun voters, particularly youths, for what he called their peaceful defence of their votes.

Speaking after his victory at his country home in Ede, Adeleke called for peace and unity, particularly after weeks of pre-election violence in parts of the state.

The governor observed a minute’s silence for victims of the violence and appealed to community leaders and traditional institutions to promote reconciliation and peace-building.

He said his second term would focus on accelerating development and widening the scope of good governance, promising to consolidate his achievements while correcting his mistakes.

Adeleke declared that there was “no victor, no vanquished” and extended an olive branch to his opponents, stressing that he remained governor of all Osun residents.

He said his administration would pursue his renewed five-point agenda and work towards transforming Osun from a predominantly civil-service state into an industrial and investment destination.

The governor also thanked President Tinubu for what he described as his support for a free and fair election and reaffirmed his endorsement of the President for a second term in 2027, describing Tinubu as a “son of Osun State.”

The APC, however, has declined to concede defeat, saying it is studying the results and consulting its legal team before deciding its next course of action.

In a statement by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, the party said it would explore all constitutional avenues available under the Electoral Act, including the election tribunal and subsequent appellate courts, to address what it described as anomalies in the electoral process.

The party urged its members and supporters to remain calm and law-abiding while it considers its options, and appealed to the police to protect its members from alleged attacks.

Meanwhile, jubilation broke out in Ile-Ife following INEC’s declaration of Adeleke as winner.

Residents and party supporters expressed satisfaction with the largely peaceful conduct of the election. Accord Party leader Busayo Arayela commended traditional rulers, including the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, for their appeals for peace before the poll.

Osun Commissioner for Transportation, Olusesan Oyedele, also praised voters and electoral officials for maintaining order and urged residents to sustain the peaceful atmosphere after the declaration.

With the result now declared, attention turns to the transition to Adeleke’s second term, while the APC’s proposed legal response could determine the next phase of the closely contested Osun political battle.

From Ayinde Akintade, Osogbo

As the August 15 Governorship election approaches, prominent chieftain of the Accord in Osun State, Hon Ismaila Kolawole has intensified calls for supporters and residents of Ila-Orangun and its environs to come out en-masse and demonstrate their unalloyed support to Governor Ademola Adeleke with their votes.

Kolawole while fielding questions from journalists on Tuesday however charged residents of Osun State to re-elect Governor Adeleke for a second term in office, while describing his administration’s record in infrastructure, workers’ welfare, education, healthcare, empowerment, and welfare of the aged as pace-setting, he also described the governor as a blessing saying he would do more if given another term.

His words, “Let us keep our Voter Cards till Saturday’s morning for us to bring Governor Ademola Adeleke back to the office for second term, he deserves our unalloyed support at this point in time and this is the period for us to appreciate all that he has done for us. Let us come out peacefully on Saturday and I want to assure you that you will not regret it.

“Governor Adeleke’s efforts on infrastructure projects like road construction and workers’ welfare reform including prompt salary payments cannot be over emphasized”.

Kolawole who is a former member of the House of Representatives, said the electorates should ignore threats or attempts at voter suppression while urging them to embrace peace before and after the governorship election.

The Ila-Orangun born politician emphasized the need for the people of Osun State to vote Governor Adeleke back to the office saying it will give them the opportunity to benefit from the people oriented programmes coming from the state government.

“Governor Adeleke has done well for the people of Osun, he has transformed the state, turning around the fortune of the state, better life for the rural dwellers, etc.

“Immediately he assumed the office for a second term, he will double his efforts in making life more bearable for the people.

“On Saturday, shun any intimidation or harassment by the opposition, that is the only thing they can do, don’t let that change your decision in voting for Mr Governor. Be law abiding and shun any act of political violence before, during, and after the election”, Hon Kolawole concluded.

From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja

The Kogi State Government has approved official fees for the placement of billboards, posters, branded T-shirts, caps and other campaign materials by political parties and candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections and the October 2026 local government elections.

The Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, disclosed this in Lokoja after a stakeholders’ meeting with operators in the signage and advertising sector, as campaigns for the Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled to commence on August 19.

Fanwo said the approved fees were designed to regulate political advertising across the state, ensure compliance with existing signage regulations and generate revenue for the development of Kogi State.

Under the approved structure, Presidential candidates will pay N150 million for campaign signage and related promotional materials across the state, while Senatorial candidates will pay N50 million.

Candidates for the House of Representatives will pay N30 million, while those contesting for the State House of Assembly will pay N5 million.

For the local government elections, chairmanship candidates will pay N2 million, while councillorship candidates will pay N300,000.

The Commissioner explained that the rates were arrived at after a peer review of applicable fees in other states, noting that the charges were considered affordable in view of the scale and reach of political campaigns.

He said the fees would also enable the government to properly regulate the proliferation of campaign materials across the state while ensuring that political advertising contributes to the state’s revenue base.

Fanwo warned that the placement of campaign materials without payment of the prescribed fees and compliance with the relevant regulations would constitute an offence, adding that offenders and anyone found aiding or facilitating such violations would be prosecuted.

He stressed that the regulations apply to all political parties and candidates without exception, including candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“In Kogi, APC is the ruling party, but that does not exempt any APC candidate from complying with the law. If you are an APC candidate and you did not pay the prescribed fee before placing your billboards or posters, we will remove them and you will be prosecuted.

“The government is for everybody. All political parties and candidates are hereby enjoined to adhere strictly to the regulations governing the placement of campaign materials across the state,” he said.

Fanwo further explained that the Kogi State Signage and Advertisement Agency (KOSSAA), an agency under the Kogi State Ministry of Information and Communications, is responsible for regulating signage and outdoor advertising activities in the state and would coordinate the enforcement of the approved campaign signage regime.

He said the state government would ensure that the enforcement of the regulations was carried out fairly and without political discrimination.

The General Manager of KOSSAA, Richard Osaseyi, said the agency would commence full enforcement of the regulations from next week.

Osaseyi urged political parties, candidates, campaign organisations and billboard operators to register with the agency and obtain the necessary approvals before erecting or displaying campaign materials.

He cautioned that unauthorised campaign materials would be removed, while individuals or organisations found to have violated the regulations would face the appropriate sanctions.