Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke, on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, received his Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), formally confirming his re-election in the August 15 governorship election.

The presentation took place at the INEC Osun State office in Osogbo, four days after Adeleke was declared the winner of the keenly contested poll. INEC presented the certificate to Adeleke and his deputy, formally completing another important stage of the post-election process.

Adeleke, who contested the election on the platform of the Accord Party, secured 511,067 votes to defeat his closest challenger, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, with a margin of 66,252 votes.

The governor's victory secured him a second term in office after a highly competitive campaign that involved several political parties and candidates across the state.

Speaking after receiving the certificate, Adeleke expressed appreciation to INEC and the security agencies for what he described as their role in the conduct of the election.

He also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for allowing democracy to thrive and wished the President success ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The governor used the occasion to extend an olive branch to his opponents, calling on candidates who contested against him to join hands with his administration in moving Osun State forward.

According to Adeleke, the interests of the state should take precedence over political differences, stressing that “Osun is bigger than anyone.”

He also acknowledged the people who lost their lives during the election period and pledged that their children would be offered scholarships.

The governor further said he had forgiven those who wronged him during the electioneering period and appealed to his supporters to equally forgive whatever might have happened in the course of the political contest.

The presentation ceremony was witnessed by members and supporters of the Accord Party, government officials, journalists and other stakeholders.

The Certificate of Return presentation formally reinforces the outcome of the August 15 election and provides the constitutional and administrative basis for Adeleke's second term, following INEC's declaration of his victory.

With the electoral contest concluded, attention is now expected to shift towards governance and the implementation of the governor's programmes and agenda for his next term.

Adeleke's re-election comes after he first emerged governor in the 2022 Osun governorship election and assumed office in November 2022. His latest victory therefore gives him the opportunity to continue his administration for another four-year tenure.