Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has been declared the winner of Saturday’s governorship election after defeating his closest challenger, the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji.
The State Returning Officer for the election, Prof Joshua Ogunwole, declared Adeleke the winner at about 7:24am on Sunday at the state collation centre.
Adeleke, who contested the election on the platform of the Accord Party, polled 511,067 votes to secure victory across 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas.
Ogunwole, who is the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti, subsequently returned the incumbent governor elected for another term in office.
Oyebamiji of the APC came second with 444,815 votes after winning 11 local government areas.
The Accord candidate secured victories in Ede North, Ede South, Ejigbo, Iwo, Egbedore, Ife North, Ife East, Ife Central, Oriade, Ifelodun, Orolu, Ayedaade, Ayedire, Odo Otin, Boluwaduro, Ilesa West, Ifedayo and Osogbo.
The APC candidate, however, won in Irewole, Isokan, Olorunda, Atakumosa East, Atakumosa West, Ilesa East, Boripe, Irepodun and Obokun.
The African Democratic Congress candidate, Najeem Salaam, finished third with 17,180 votes.
Announcing the final figures, the Returning Officer said 1,010,684 voters were accredited for the election, while the total votes cast stood at 1,005,800.
A total of 985,079 votes were declared valid, while 20,721 votes were rejected.
The Returning Officer announced the results after representatives of the participating political parties signed the relevant result sheets.
Declaring Adeleke the winner, Ogunwole said the governor had satisfied the requirements of the law and was therefore returned elected.
The declaration brings to an end the keenly contested governorship election, which featured 15 political parties, although the major battle was largely between Adeleke and Oyebamiji.