OsunDecides2026: Tinubu Congratulated Adeleke Before INEC Declared Result — Campaign Spokesperson

The spokesperson for the Imole Campaign Council, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has commended President Bola Tinubu for what he described as his commitment to a free, fair and credible governorship election in Osun State.

Olajengbesi spoke on Sunday shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission declared Governor Ademola Adeleke the winner of the August 15 governorship election.

According to the campaign spokesperson, Tinubu had called Adeleke to congratulate him before INEC formally announced the election result.

He said the President’s actions demonstrated that political contests should not be treated as a do-or-die affair, while praising Tinubu for directing security agencies to maintain professionalism and neutrality during the election.

“We are also appreciative of Mr President because, at the commencement of this election, Mr President announced to the world and informed the Independent National Electoral Commission that the poll should be credible,” Olajengbesi said.

He added that Adeleke had received the President’s congratulatory call even before the official declaration, describing the gesture as significant to Nigeria’s democratic development.

Olajengbesi also celebrated Adeleke’s victory, saying the outcome demonstrated the confidence Osun residents had in the governor and his administration.

He claimed that Adeleke had instructed his supporters before the election not to engage in vote-buying and commended voters for maintaining their support despite what he described as pressure and intimidation.

Adeleke, the Accord Party candidate, was declared winner at about 7:24am on Sunday by the State Returning Officer, Prof. Joshua Ogunwole, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti.

The governor polled 511,067 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress, who scored 444,815 votes.

Adeleke won 19 of the state’s 30 Local Government Areas, while Oyebamiji secured victory in 11. Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress finished third.

The result secured Adeleke a second term after he was elected governor in 2022 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party before moving to the Accord Party for the 2026 election.

However, allegations of electoral infractions have emerged following the poll.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has called on INEC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to investigate reported cases of vote-buying, financial inducement, illegal election financing, voter intimidation, violence and other alleged offences linked to the election.