The Accord Party candidate is ahead of APC’s Bola Oyebamiji in several local government areas, while some prominent politicians, including Oyinlola, Omisore and Aregbesola, lost their polling units.

Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party has taken an early lead in the Osun State governorship election as the Independent National Electoral Commission begins the collation of results from Saturday’s poll.

Results uploaded to INEC’s Result Viewing Portal, IReV, showed Adeleke ahead of his closest challenger, the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, while the African Democratic Congress candidate, Najeem Salaam, was trailing in the early figures.

As of the time of filing this report, about 95 per cent of the results had reportedly been uploaded to the portal.

Adeleke recorded strong performances in several local government areas, including Osogbo, Oriade, Iwo, Ede South, Ife North, Ife East and Irepodun.

In Ife North, Adeleke led in 19 of the 111 polling units monitored, recording 2,043 votes against Oyebamiji’s 1,386, while Salaam polled 51 votes.

At Ipetumodu II Ward 7, Adeleke scored 841 votes to Oyebamiji’s 446 and Salaam’s 21.

The Accord candidate also maintained his advantage at Edunabon I Ward 2, where results from seven of 11 polling units gave Adeleke 638 votes, compared with Oyebamiji’s 496 and Salaam’s 15.

In Irepodun, Adeleke won three wards while Oyebamiji took two. From the 133 polling units released on IReV, Adeleke was ahead in 28 units with 2,510 votes.

In another set of results from the area, Accord led in 31 of 121 polling units, with 4,429 votes against APC’s 3,088.

Adeleke also won several wards, including Baale Ward 2, Osolo/Oparin/Ola Ward, Oba Ojomu Ward 1, Faji/Opete Ward 4 and Asi/Asaba Ward 9.

In Ife East Local Government Area, results collated from Ilode II, Modakeke, Yekemi and Ilode wards put Adeleke ahead with 8,076 votes, while Oyebamiji had 5,201 and Salaam 234.

The governor also secured a significant lead in Oriade, where he polled 21,343 votes against Oyebamiji’s 14,863, according to the collation result signed by Dr Olabode Olajide.

In Osogbo Local Government Area, Adeleke scored 36,480 votes to defeat Oyebamiji, who recorded 30,474 votes.

Adeleke also won Iwo with 27,085 votes against APC’s 19,660 and recorded a wider margin in Ede South, where he polled 26,188 votes while Oyebamiji scored 6,219.

Political heavyweights lose polling units

Despite their political influence, some prominent Osun politicians failed to deliver their own polling units to their preferred candidates.

Former governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who is backing Oyebamiji, lost his polling unit at Court Hall 1, Okuku, in Odo-Otin Local Government Area.

At the unit, Adeleke scored 125 votes against Oyebamiji’s 85.

Former governor Rauf Aregbesola, a leader of the ADC in the state, also lost his polling unit in Ilesa East to the APC.

At Unit 1, Ifofin Ward 8, the APC scored 256 votes, while Accord secured 43 and ADC 13.

The PDP National Treasurer, Diran Odeyemi, also voted at Ward 1, Unit 2, Ibokun NUD Primary School, Obokun LGA, where Accord polled 211 votes against APC’s 178.

Former APC National Secretary, Iyiola Omisore, equally lost his polling unit at St Gabriel Primary School, Moore, Ife East LGA.

Adeleke won the unit with 131 votes, while Oyebamiji scored 85.

Vote-buying allegations emerge

The election was also marred by widespread allegations of vote-buying, with reports of large sums of money allegedly being distributed to voters in different parts of the state.

One political party was alleged to have provided as much as N5m for individual polling units, with some voters reportedly receiving at least N20,000 in exchange for their votes.

There were also allegations that between N2m and N5m was distributed to senior security officials in some local government areas.

The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development reported receiving claims that some voters in Ilesa East were offered as much as N50,000.

The organisation also alleged that some security personnel received money from a political party in Ayedaade and Ife North.

At Polling Unit 13, Orinayon, Ward 4, Ejigbo, bundles of cash were reportedly seized from a party agent allegedly involved in vote-buying.

A video circulating online also showed voters confronting a party agent with bundles of cash at Polling Unit 11, Ward 8, Olorunda Local Government Area.

Another alleged case was reported at Ward 11, Unit 17, Oke-Baale, Osogbo, where voters were reportedly offered N25,000 each.

BVAS glitches disrupt voting

The use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System also presented challenges in several polling units.

The Deputy Governor, Kola Adewusi, complained about the malfunctioning of the BVAS at his polling unit in Ilode Ward 1, Ile-Ife.

He said the technical problems slowed down accreditation and prevented some voters from casting their ballots.

“Election was going well until the BVAS started malfunctioning and started giving issues and it slowed down the process, leaving many persons not voting,” Adewusi said.

Former Minister of State for Police Affairs, Jelili Adesiyan, similarly complained about difficulties with BVAS accreditation at his polling unit in Ode-Omu, Ayedaade LGA.

According to him, some elderly voters were unable to complete the accreditation process because the machine failed to capture their details.

CJID also reported BVAS failures in parts of Egbedore, Ife Central, Ilesa West, Ifedayo, Ifelodun, Oriade and Ilesa East LGAs.

OsunDecides2026: INEC Uploads 402 of 3,763 Polling Unit Results to IReV 

https://dailyobserver.ng/osundecides2026-inec-uploads-402-of-3763-polling-unit-results-to-irev

Kimpact Development Initiative, which deployed 370 observers to 1,660 polling units across the state’s 30 local government areas, also reported delays in the arrival of election officials.

Its preliminary assessment showed that 43 per cent of the polling units monitored experienced delays, while observers recorded 19 suspected cases of vote trading, 17 incidents involving alleged interference by party agents and seven cases linked to security personnel.

Violence, gunshots reported

Beyond technical challenges and allegations of vote-buying, pockets of violence and intimidation were also reported during the election.

At Salvation Army High School, Osogbo, which served as a Ward 5 collation centre, gunmen reportedly opened fire on a crowd after allegedly trailing a bus conveying INEC ad hoc staff.

A man was reportedly shot in the chest and taken away on a motorcycle for medical attention.

An eyewitness said the attackers attempted to seize election materials but were unsuccessful.

Gunshots were also reported at Ward 6, Units 5 and 6, Ikirun, in Ifelodun LGA, following a disagreement between party agents over a demand for a recount.

Police reportedly fired tear gas to disperse the crowd.

At Olorunda Ward 8 collation centre in Osogbo, suspected gunmen also reportedly attacked the area. Soldiers later took control of the premises while ad hoc staff were moved to the Olorunda INEC office.

In Ejigbo, suspected political thugs reportedly attacked the polling unit of ADC candidate Najeem Salaam.

Salaam was said to have been hurriedly moved from the area by supporters, while some journalists were allegedly attacked.

Election materials and vehicles were reportedly vandalised, with Salaam describing the incident as an attempt on his life.

A ballot box was also reportedly snatched at Iree in Boripe LGA, although voters were said to have apprehended one of the suspected attackers, who was allegedly found with a gun and axe.

There were also reports of threats and intimidation in some polling units.

A viral video showed APC chieftain Funmi Hasstrup allegedly warning voters in Ikire against voting for candidates other than Oyebamiji.

Similarly, Senator Francis Fadahunsi was captured in another video directing his aides to monitor voters’ choices.

At a registration centre in Modakeke, Ife East LGA, INEC officials and voters were reportedly tear-gassed by police.

Parties trade accusations

The APC, ADC and Accord Party condemned the reported violence but disagreed over who was responsible.

The APC accused Accord supporters of sponsoring thugs to disrupt the election and alleged that ballot boxes were snatched at the Gulf Unit of Ward 5 in Osogbo.

The party urged INEC to take note of the incident and protect the integrity of the election.

The ADC, however, rejected the election in areas affected by violence and irregularities, describing the exercise as a sham.

The party demanded the cancellation of results from affected areas, including Ikire, Iree, Ilesa and Ejigbo.

ADC alleged that voters were attacked and prevented from documenting incidents, while also accusing APC agents of openly inducing voters with cash and food items.

Adeleke also raised concerns over alleged intimidation of his supporters.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Olawale Rasheed, the governor alleged that law enforcement agencies were being used to intimidate members of his political camp.

He particularly condemned the reported arrest of PDP member Sunday Bisi, describing it as an attack on voters’ freedom.

The Director-General of the Imole Campaign Council, Lere Oyewumi, also alleged that voting was disrupted in Irewole Local Government Area, forcing voters to flee some polling units.

With collation ongoing, attention has now shifted to INEC as the commission continues to verify and announce the results that will determine who emerges as the next governor of Osun State.

The figures uploaded to IReV remain provisional until the official collation process is concluded and INEC makes the final declaration.