In a significant development in the ongoing Osun State governorship election, Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party is currently leading the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, by over 66,000 votes. As per the latest results compiled from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Adeleke has garnered 491,975 votes, which accounts for 51.9 percent of the total votes counted so far, while Oyebamiji follows with 425,731 votes, representing 44.9 percent.

The results, which have been reported from 3,633 out of 3,763 polling units across the state's 30 local government areas, indicate that Adeleke's lead stands at 66,244 votes. This commanding margin has remained consistent throughout the counting process, with Adeleke maintaining a lead of approximately seven percentage points from the early stages of the election.

The candidate from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Najeem Salaam, is trailing significantly with only 16,513 votes or 1.7 percent of the total. Other political parties on the ballot have collectively received about 14,500 votes. As of the latest update, the total number of valid votes counted has reached 948,768.

Adeleke, who is seeking a second term in office, initially won the governorship in 2022 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before switching allegiance to the Accord Party. A victory in this election would mark a historic win for the Accord Party in Osun State, as it would be their first governorship election victory.

As the counting continues, the remaining 130 polling units include some where voting was cancelled, and these are not expected to significantly impact the overall outcome. The State Collation and Returning Officer of INEC has yet to formally declare the winner, as the electoral process requires that a candidate must not only secure the highest number of votes but also meet geographical spread requirements under the Electoral Act.

This election saw participation from 15 political parties, although two candidates, Adesina Adeyemi-Doro of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Simon Adewale of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), had previously announced their withdrawal from the race. With the current results, it appears that Adeleke is well on his way to solidifying his position as the governor of Osun State once again.