Voters across Osun State's 30 Local Government Areas head to the polls on Saturday, August 15, 2026, to elect a governor for the next four years. Incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke is seeking a second term, and a Legit.ng poll on X (formerly Twitter) suggests he is the clear favourite, with 80% of respondents predicting his victory.
Three-Way Race Dominates
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cleared 14 political parties and their candidates to participate in the governorship election. However, the contest is widely regarded as a three-way race among the top contenders: Governor Adeleke of the Accord Party, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Najeem Salam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Oyebamiji, a former Osun Finance Commissioner and chartered banker, has the backing of President Bola Tinubu and the full APC structure. Salam, meanwhile, leads the ADC ticket, which has drawn attention due to the origins of its members in the state.
Poll Results and Public Sentiment
Legit.ng conducted an online poll on X to gauge public sentiment ahead of the election. The results showed a strong lean towards Adeleke: 80% of respondents predicted he would retain his seat, while 15.3% backed APC's Oyebamiji. ADC candidate Salam received 4.5% of the predicted votes.
Legit.ng noted that the poll was intended only to offer a snapshot of likely voting patterns and carries no official weight. INEC remains the sole authority responsible for conducting the vote and declaring the official result.
Key Factors in the Race
Recall that Governor Adeleke is seeking re-election under the Accord Party after winning in 2022 on the PDP platform. A public affairs analyst has identified incumbency appeal, President Tinubu's political stakes, and Adeleke's pledge to deliver Osun for Tinubu in 2027 as key variables that could decide the outcome.
Senator Shehu Sani also weighed in on the political situation, pointing to a divided opposition and the origins of ADC members in the state as key factors shaping the race. Sani named a prominent APC figure as the man he believed would determine the election's outcome.
As polling begins, all eyes are on INEC to conduct a credible exercise and declare the official winner. The result will determine the state's leadership for the next four years.
