By Kehinde Jacobs
OSOGBO — Voters in Osun State delivered a decisive statement at the polls on Saturday, with early collation from dozens of polling units across the state pointing to a landslide for the Accord party, as Governor Ademola Adeleke appears set to retain his seat.
Results trickling in from Ede, Osogbo, Iwo, Ife, Ilesha and other local government areas show Accord sweeping the majority of the units reported so far, opening wide gaps against the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the African Democratic Congress, ADC.
In Ede South, Jagunjagun Ward 1 Unit 13, Accord polled 203 votes to APC’s 60. The trend held in Ede North, where Olusokun Ward 4 Unit 3 gave Accord 264 votes to APC’s 62, and Buhari Ishola Ward 8 Unit 8 delivered 173 to 66 for Accord. Governor Adeleke’s home base of Ede again voted heavily in his direction.
The momentum extended across the state. In Egbedore Ward 3 Unit 3, Accord recorded 274 votes against APC’s 40. Obalaoye Alajue 1 Unit 4 in the Ife area gave Accord a massive 332 votes to APC’s 34. Osogbo Ward 4 Unit 29 returned 281 votes for Accord to 82 for APC, while Osogbo Ward 11 Unit 19 posted 231 to 141.
Other strong showings for Accord include Sekona Unit 6 with 193 votes, Ilode Ward 2 Unit 8 with 196 votes, and Ipetu in Ife North Unit 2 with 214 votes. In Iwo Post Office, Accord cleared four units with 168, 120, 158 and 162 votes respectively, consistently ahead of APC.
APC managed to hold a few units, notably Iragbiji Ward 3 Unit 9 with 306 votes to Accord’s 99, and Olorunda Ward 9 Unit 7 with 211 votes to 72. Okuku Ward 1 Unit 5 ended in a tie at 128 votes apiece. ADC recorded only modest figures, mostly in single digits, with its best showing at Ilode Ward 2 Unit 8 with 17 votes.
Across more than 40 polling units reported, Accord led in over 35, suggesting a broad statewide acceptance that cut across Osun Central, Osun West and Osun East senatorial districts.
Political pundits say the pattern reflects strong grassroots mobilization and voter approval of the Adeleke administration’s programmes in infrastructure, workers’ welfare and social services.
It is important to note that the figures above are from party agents and collation centers at the unit level. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has not yet officially announced the final results.
“As we await INEC’s official declaration, what is clear is that Osun people have spoken with one voice,” a senior Accord chieftain said in Osogbo.
With collation still ongoing, all eyes are now on the INEC office in Osogbo for the formal announcement of the governorship election outcome.
