Osun State will hold its governorship election on Saturday, August 15, 2026, with 15 candidates contesting to lead the state for the next four years. More than 2.3 million registered voters are expected to participate across the state's 30 local government areas, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Election Date and Voting Hours
The governorship election is scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026. Voting will begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at 2:30 p.m., although voters already in the queue before closing time should still be allowed to vote. This off-cycle poll will determine who governs Osun from 2026 to 2030.
Voter Statistics and Polling Units
INEC reports that 2,339,233 registered voters are eligible to vote. They will cast their ballots across 3,763 polling units in the state's 30 local government areas and 332 wards.
Full List of Candidates
Fifteen candidates and political parties are on the ballot, including:
- Ademola Adeleke — Accord Party
- Bola Oyebamiji — All Progressives Congress (APC)
- Najeem Salaam — African Democratic Congress (ADC)
- Olanrewaju Farinloye — Action Alliance (AA)
- Olajide Esan — African Action Congress (AAC)
- Yemisi Adeagbo Opawoye — Action Democratic Party (ADP)
- Adesina Adeyemi-Doro — All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)
- Adewale Adebayo — Allied Peoples Movement (APM)
- Clement Adesuyi — Action Peoples Party (APP)
- Masilo Adeleke — Boot Party
- Taofeek Adeleke — New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)
- Saliu Oyelami — Peoples Redemption Party (PRP)
- Olalekan Ogunsakin — Young Progressives Party (YPP)
- Francis Olugbenga Ajala — Social Democratic Party (SDP)
- Adefemi Adesuyi — Zenith Labour Party (ZLP)
The list became more complicated shortly before the election after the SDP's Francis Ajala was added to the ballot following a court order. There have also been withdrawals: the APGA candidate, Adesina Adeyemi-Doro, withdrew and backed the APC candidate, while the APM candidate, Adebayo Simon Adewale, also announced his withdrawal and support for Governor Adeleke. Their names may still appear on the ballot because of the timing of the withdrawals.
Major Contenders
Although there are 15 names on the ballot, the race has largely been seen as a contest involving three major candidates: Governor Ademola Adeleke (Accord), Bola Oyebamiji (APC), and Najeem Salaam (ADC).
Governor Adeleke is seeking re-election on the Accord Party platform. He won the 2022 election as a PDP candidate, defeating then-incumbent Gboyega Oyetola of the APC. Adeleke is campaigning on his administration's record, particularly in infrastructure, health, agriculture, and other areas of development.
Bola Oyebamiji, the APC candidate, previously served as Osun's Commissioner for Finance and later became Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority. He resigned from the federal position in 2025 to pursue the governorship.
Najeem Salaam, the ADC candidate, is a former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly. He served as Speaker from 2011 to 2015 and returned to the Assembly in 2017.
Voting Process and BVAS
INEC will use the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to verify voters before they cast their ballots. The commission increased the number of BVAS machines from 4,427 to 5,130, while backup devices were doubled from 664 to 1,328 to deal with possible technical problems. Voters should go to their assigned polling units with their Permanent Voter Cards and follow the instructions of election officials.
Security Arrangements
Security has been significantly increased ahead of the election. More than 15,000 police personnel have been deployed across Osun, with Mobile Police Force units assigned to all 30 local government areas. The police have also deployed helicopters and drones for aerial surveillance before, during, and after the election.
The police also announced a restriction of movement in and out of Osun State from midnight on Friday, August 14, as part of security measures for Saturday's governorship election. Voters should therefore plan their movements ahead of the restriction.
Voter Reminders
Voters should verify their polling units before election day, arrive early, and avoid carrying weapons or getting involved in violence. They should also be wary of vote-buying and false information about results. INEC has warned against misinformation and urged the public to rely on verified information rather than unconfirmed results circulating on social media.
The final winner will only emerge after voting, counting, and the official collation and declaration of results. For Osun voters, Saturday's election is ultimately about choosing who they want to lead the state for the next four years. With a crowded ballot and a closely watched contest between the major political forces, the outcome could also provide an important indication of Nigeria's political mood ahead of the 2027 general elections.
