Osun Governorship Election 2026: 6 Important Facts Every Voter Should Know
- Over 2.3 million registered voters will cast their ballots across 3,763 polling units in Osun State on Saturday, August 15, 2026
- Incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party faces 13 other candidates, with APC and ADC flagbearers seen as his strongest challengers
- INEC increased BVAS devices to 5,130 and security forces will deploy about 15,000 operatives to manage the governorship election
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Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
Osun State is set to hold its governorship election on Saturday, August 15, 2026, with voters expected to decide who leads the South-West state for the next four years in what observers have described as a closely fought race.
Governor Ademola Adeleke is seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord Party, but he faces stiff competition from 13 other candidates across various political parties.
Source: Twitter
As reported by Channels Television, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has pledged to deliver a credible and peaceful exercise.
Voters, polling units and candidates
INEC has registered 2,339,233 eligible voters for the election, spread across 3,763 polling units in the state's 30 local government areas.
A total of 14 parties and their candidates will appear on the ballot, though three have drawn the most attention: Adeleke himself, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
All 14 candidates had until Thursday, August 13, 2026, to conclude their campaigns across the state before the official close of electioneering.
Security, technology and peace commitments
According to The Punch, before the vote, all 14 contestants signed a Peace Accord facilitated by the National Peace Committee, committing to a violence-free process.
On the technology front, INEC raised the number of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices from 4,427 to 5,130, while backup units were doubled from 664 to 1,328 to allow for quick replacements should any device fail on election day.
Security will be heavy across polling units, with the police set to deploy roughly 15,000 operatives.
INEC is also working with other security agencies to check vote-buying and has activated the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), which will direct intelligence-led deployments to areas flagged as potential flashpoints.
With all eyes on Osun State, Nigerians are watching closely to see who emerges as the next governor once results begin to come in.
Source: Twitter
10 LGAs that may shape Osun election outcome
Recall that all three leading candidates in Saturday's Osun governorship poll hail from the same senatorial district, making vote distribution tightly contested.
The Accord Party, APC and ADC camps each claim they will win all 30 local government areas in the state.
The battleground councils, including Osogbo, Olorunda, Odo Otin and Ilesa East, could ultimately decide who wins the governorship.
Adeleke calls former Governor Oyinlola 'paperweight'
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that Osun Governor Adeleke made a public claim about giving a car to former Governor Oyinlola ahead of the governorship election.
Adeleke said Oyinlola moved from the APM to the APC after receiving the gift and refused to back his re-election bid.
The governor's remarks drew wide reactions online, with critics questioning his choice to air such personal details in public
Source: Legit.ng
