Osogbo, the state capital, recorded the highest number of valid votes in the 2022 Osun governorship election, with nearly 55,000 ballots cast. The 10 highest-voting local government areas (LGAs) together accounted for about 46 per cent of all valid votes recorded across the state in 2022. With Saturday's poll hours away, the same LGAs are expected to play a decisive role in the 2026 contest among Adeleke, Oyebamiji, and Salam.
2022 Election Results: How the Votes Were Split
The 2022 Osun governorship election took place on July 16, 2022, with 15 candidates on the ballot. The contest effectively came down to two men: Ademola Adeleke of the then Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the then incumbent governor, Adegboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Adeleke won with 403,371 votes, or 50.14 per cent of the 804,450 valid votes cast, while Oyetola polled 375,027 votes, accounting for 46.62 per cent. The 10 LGAs listed below produced the largest share of valid votes in that election.
Top 10 Highest-Voting LGAs in the 2022 Osun Poll
1. Osogbo — The state capital topped the list with 54,997 valid votes. Adeleke led with 30,401 votes against Oyetola's 22,952. Other candidates combined for 1,644 votes.
2. Olorunda — Also in Osun Central Senatorial District, Olorunda ranked second with 41,187 valid votes. Adeleke polled 21,350 against Oyetola's 18,709, with 1,128 votes spread among the remaining candidates.
3. Ife East — Located in Osun East Senatorial District, Ife East produced 39,125 valid votes. Oyetola took the LGA with 19,353 votes to Adeleke's 18,071, while other candidates received 1,701 votes.
4. Iwo — This Osun West LGA recorded 35,634 valid votes. Oyetola edged ahead with 17,421 votes compared to Adeleke's 16,914. Other candidates took 1,299 votes.
5. Ifelodun — In Osun Central Senatorial District, Ifelodun recorded 34,036 valid votes. Adeleke won with 17,107 votes against Oyetola's 16,068, with 861 votes going to other candidates.
6. Ede North — Adeleke's home base in Osun West produced 34,113 valid votes and delivered his strongest showing among the top 10, with 23,931 votes against Oyetola's 9,603. Other candidates polled 579 votes.
7. Ejigbo — Also in Osun West, Ejigbo recorded 33,329 valid votes. Adeleke won with 18,065 votes, while Oyetola polled 14,355. Other candidates received 909 votes.
8. Irewole — Another major centre in Osun West, Irewole produced 33,315 valid votes. Oyetola won here with 18,198 votes against Adeleke's 14,216, with 901 votes for other candidates.
9. Ife Central — In Osun East Senatorial District, Ife Central recorded 32,544 valid votes. Oyetola won with 17,880 votes to Adeleke's 13,532. Other candidates polled 1,132 votes.
10. Oriade — Completing the list, Oriade in Osun East produced 30,941 valid votes. Adeleke won with 15,947 votes against Oyetola's 14,189, with 805 votes for others.
Impact on the 2026 Governorship Race
Together, these 10 LGAs contributed 369,221 valid votes, roughly 46 per cent of the state's total. Adeleke carried six of the ten, while Oyetola won four.
Saturday's three-way race between incumbent Governor Adeleke, now running on the Accord Party platform, APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji, and ADC candidate Najeem Salam means these high-turnout LGAs will once again be closely watched by all three camps.
Previously, Legit.ng reported that the Nigeria Police Force declared a full security lockdown of Osun State ahead of the governorship election scheduled for Saturday, August 16, 2026, deploying over 15,000 officers, a Deputy Inspector-General of Police, and 30 Commissioners of Police across the state's 30 local government areas. Force Public Relations Officer CSP Anietie Iniedu announced the security arrangements during a briefing with journalists in Osogbo on Friday, saying deployment of personnel had begun three weeks before the election.
