Ademola Adeleke Receives Certificate of Return After Osun Win

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has formally received his Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission, confirming his victory in the state’s governorship election. The electoral body presented the document to Adeleke in Osogbo on Wednesday, following the conclusion of voting held on Saturday.

The governor’s Special Assistant on Digital Media, Olalekan Badmus, announced the development on his official X account. According to Badmus, the certificate serves as official recognition of Adeleke’s electoral triumph.

Official results released by INEC show Adeleke secured 511,067 votes to win the contest. His closest rival, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress, garnered 444,815 votes. Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress placed third with 17,180 votes.

The outcome reinforces Adeleke’s position as the democratically elected leader of Osun State, a key political battleground in Nigeria’s South-West region. The election was closely watched as a test of the ruling party’s strength ahead of the national polls.

INEC’s presentation of the certificate marks the final administrative step in the electoral process, paving the way for Adeleke to begin his new term. The governor is expected to outline his policy priorities for the coming years in the coming days, with attention focused on infrastructure, education, and Healthcare delivery across the state.

Political analysts view the result as a significant indicator of voter sentiment in the region, where party loyalties have shifted in recent cycles. The margin of victory suggests a consolidation of support for the incumbent administration despite national economic challenges.