Voting has closed at several polling units across Osun State, with Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials now sorting and counting ballots in the 2026 governorship election. The end of voting followed a day marked by high turnout alongside reports of technical failures, allegations of vote buying, and pockets of violence at select locations, according to Channels TV.
Governor Adeleke and APC Candidate Vote Amid BVAS Failures
Governor Ademola Adeleke, running for a second term on the Accord Party platform, cast his vote in Ede after his polling unit experienced delays caused by a malfunctioning Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and a faulty ink pad. The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, voted in Ikire and urged voters across the state to remain peaceful throughout the process.
BVAS problems were not isolated to Adeleke's polling unit. In Ife East, Prof. Olayinka Ajala was unable to vote after the system could not verify his face and thumbprint, highlighting broader authentication difficulties that affected accreditation at multiple locations during the day.
Violence and Vote-Buying Allegations Cloud the Poll
The ADC candidate, Najeem Salaam, was caught up in an incident in Ejigbo, where suspected thugs reportedly stormed his polling unit shortly after he had cast his ballot, temporarily disrupting proceedings. Separate allegations of vote buying were also raised at various points during the day.
Despite these incidents, the Commissioner of Police overseeing election security, Samuel Erale, said the situation across the state remained calm, adding that no arrests had been made at the time of his assessment.
Counting Begins as Focus Shifts to Collation
With voting now closed at several units, focus is turning to the sorting and counting of ballots at the polling-unit level, after which results will feed into the wider collation process. The 2026 governorship election features 14 candidates, with three prominent contenders: incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, Bola Oyebamiji of the APC, and Najeem Salam of the ADC.
