Adeleke Races Ahead as INEC Uploads 87% of Osun Results, Vote-Buying and Glitches Mar Peaceful Poll

Adeleke Races Ahead as INEC Uploads 87% of Osun Results, Vote-Buying and Glitches Mar Peaceful Poll

Adeleke is leading in Nigeria's Osun State governorship election after results from half of the 30 local government areas showed the incumbent ahead, while the electoral commission has uploaded 87 percent of polling unit results to its public portal.

· 3 min read ·
electionsusahuman rights

Voting in the Osun State governorship election ended on August 15, 2026, with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) confirming that 87.48 percent of expected results had been uploaded to its official results viewing portal, IReV [220003]. The remaining 12.52 percent of results have not yet been released, with no official explanation provided for the delay [220003]. The Centre for Journalism, Innovation and Development (CJID), a media watchdog, confirmed the end of voting without reporting major disruptions, suggesting a largely peaceful exercise [221494].

Incumbent governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party has taken an early lead following the collation of results from 15 of the state’s 30 local government areas [219989]. In one early result, the All Progressives Congress (APC) defeated the Accord Party in the Obokun local government area by a margin of 4,097 votes [219993]. However, INEC has cancelled results from at least two polling units in Ife Central Local Government Area due to over-voting, a situation where the number of votes cast exceeds the number of accredited voters [219995].

The electoral process was largely peaceful, but the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) reported isolated cases of vote-buying and technical failures [219998]. The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), the electronic device used to verify voters' identities, experienced operational problems including slow processing and biometric verification failures at several polling units [219998]. Security personnel were seen directing party agents to move away from voters and ballot boxes in some locations to reduce interference [219998].

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) commended its members for their discipline and dedication during the election, with officials saying the corps members followed all instructions, operational guidelines, and safety advisories [220461]. President Bola Tinubu had earlier urged all political parties, candidates, and their supporters to respect the rules and maintain order throughout the voting process, stating that "every vote counts, and the voice of the people must be heard clearly and without fear" [218768].

Final counting of votes has officially started at the collation centre in Osogbo, the state capital, where designated returning officers from each local government area are presenting their final tallies for approval [219990]. To be declared the winner, a candidate must receive the highest total number of votes and secure at least one-quarter of the votes cast in at least two-thirds of the 30 local government areas [218774]. With 1.9 million registered voters, the election will hinge on which candidates can build broad coalitions across the state [218774].

Sources

Nigerian Election Under Watch: Media Group Deploys Observers to Osun State #221485Nigeria: Voting Ends in Osun, Results Awaited #221494Osun Election: Final Vote Count Begins in State Capital #219990Osun Election: Vote-Buying and Glitches Mar an Otherwise Peaceful Poll #219998INEC Uploads 87% of Osun Election Results #220003NYSC Praises Youth Corps Members for Orderly Conduct in Osun Election #220461Tinubu Urges Peace and Transparency as Osun Votes in 2026 Election #218768APC beats Accord by 4,097 votes in Osun’s Obokun LGA. #219993Adeleke Takes Early Lead in Osun Governorship Race #219989INEC Cancels Results in Two Osun Polling Units After Over-voting #219995

Related

Nigeria’s 2027 Race Kicks Off: 100 Million Voters, Peace Deal Signed, But Economy and Security Loom Large

Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election campaign is officially underway, with political heavyweights already hitting the trail five months before the vote.

Osun Election in Chaos: 10,210 Cops Deployed as Watchdog Warns of Killings and Vote Buying

Nigeria’s Osun State governorship election is facing a credibility crisis, with a civil society watchdog warning of killings and vote buying just days before the vote, even as authorities deploy over 10,000 security personnel to maintain order.

Maine Democrat Leads Primary Polls Despite Controversies, Eyes Collins Seat

Graham Platner, a Democrat from Maine, is leading the state’s primary polls for the U.S. Senate despite facing a series of ongoing controversies, positioning him to challenge Republican Senator Susan Collins in November’s general election [169287][169302].

Nigeria’s Tinubu Says Country Is Safer and Richer—Opposition Demands Proof as Food Prices Soar

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu told Catholic bishops that security and the economy are improving, but opposition parties have publicly rejected the claim, demanding evidence and pointing to persistent kidnappings, farmer-herder clashes, and rising food prices [208059].

Half of Nigeria’s Young Voters Are Missing From the Rolls—52% Not Registered for 2027

Half of Nigeria’s youth are sitting out the 2027 elections before they even begin, with a new survey showing 52.1% of students across 34 tertiary institutions are not registered to vote.

Zambia Opposition Leader Brian Mundubile Questioned by Police, Faces Treason Charges After Election Loss

Zambian opposition leader Brian Mundubile has been summoned for police questioning over an alleged national security threat, days after losing the presidential election to incumbent Hakainde Hichilema, who won with roughly 60 percent of the vote.