Osun State will hold its governorship election on Saturday, August 15, 2026, with 15 candidates contesting to lead the state for the next four years. The election comes with a crowded field, political realignments, and heightened security, with more than 2.3 million registered voters expected to participate across the state's 30 local government areas.
Major Contenders in the Osun Governorship Election
Three major candidates are vying for the top spot in the Osun governorship election. Governor Ademola Adeleke, Accord Party candidate seeking re-election, is campaigning on his administration's record, particularly in infrastructure, health, agriculture, and other areas of development. Bola Oyebamiji, the APC candidate and former Commissioner for Finance in Osun State, is also in the running. Najeem Salaam, the ADC candidate and former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, rounds out the top contenders.
Election Logistics and Security Measures
Voting is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at 2:30 p.m., although voters who are already in the queue before the closing time should still be allowed to vote. The election will be held across 3,763 polling units in the state's 30 local government areas and 332 wards. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has increased the number of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines from 4,427 to 5,130, while backup devices were doubled from 664 to 1,328 to deal with possible technical problems.
Security Arrangements
More than 15,000 police personnel have been deployed across Osun, with Mobile Police Force units assigned to all 30 local government areas. The police have also deployed helicopters and drones for aerial surveillance before, during, and after the election. Additionally, the police have announced a restriction of movement in and out of Osun State from midnight on Friday, August 14, as part of security measures for Saturday's governorship election.
Candidates on the Ballot
A total of 15 candidates and political parties are on the ballot. These include Bola Oyebamiji of the APC, Najeem Salaam of the ADC, Olanrewaju Farinloye of the Action Alliance (AA), and Olajide Esan of the African Action Congress (AAC), among others. The list became more complicated shortly before the election after the SDP's Francis Ajala was added to the ballot following a court order.
Source: Pulse.ng
