Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Wednesday secured the gubernatorial ticket of the Accord Party for the August 8, 2026, governorship election, cementing his platform for seeking a second term.
The primary election, held in Osogbo, saw Governor Adeleke, who was the sole aspirant, receive overwhelming delegate support shortly after announcing his defection to the party.
Primary Results and Process
During the exercise, delegates drawn from all 30 local government areas of the state cast 150 votes. Governor Adeleke polled 145 votes, with only five votes declared void.
Announcing the results, the Secretary of the electoral committee, Abdulazeez Salaudeen, stated:
“The electoral committee has delivered on its mandate. After voting and counting, witnessed by the agents of the candidate and the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission. Having the highest number of votes, I declare Senator Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke as the winner of the primary.”
The exercise was observed by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and featured a heavy security presence, including armed police and operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Present at the primary were Governor Adeleke, his deputy, Kola Adewusi, and several political appointees. The Accord Party’s national leadership, led by its chairman, Maxwell Mgbudem, was also in attendance.
Notably absent were key figures from his previous party, including the Osun State PDP Chairman, Sunday Bisi; the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Wale Egbedun; state lawmakers; and members of the National Assembly elected under the PDP platform.
Defection and Alignment
Governor Adeleke had officially announced his defection to the Accord Party on Tuesday, revealing that he had joined the party more than a month prior.
“I joined the Accord Party more than a month ago, precisely on November 6, as a platform to seek re-election in 2026. This was after weeks of consultation with stakeholders and opinion leaders,” Adeleke confirmed.
He explained that the Accord Party’s philosophy of welfarism aligns perfectly with his administration’s focus on citizens’ and workers’ welfare. The Governor pledged to continue delivering good governance and democratic dividends to the people of Osun State.
