Beyond Adeleke’s Re-election as Osun Gov

In a recent gubernatorial election in Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party was re-elected as the Governor, despite opposition from Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress and Hon Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress. The election took place on August 15, 2026, and was marked by a lack of crisis compared to the buildup, where there were reports of alleged killings of political opponents in various parts of the state.

The electoral body, INEC, cleared 14 political parties for the election, but it was a three-horse race between the three main candidates. Adeleke, the incumbent Governor, defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in November 2025 due to internal party crises and formed the Accord Party. He campaigned on a platform of youth, women, workers, infrastructure, agro-industrialisation, health, and education.

His five-point reloaded agenda aimed to address these key areas. On the other hand, Bola Oyebamiji and Hon Najeem Salaam presented their own agendas, with Oyebamiji focusing on prosperity and Salaam advocating for protest and change. The election was a significant test for INEC and the police ahead of the 2027 general election, and Adeleke expressed his support for President Bola Tinubu's re-election bid, promising unity and progress for the state.