Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, Governor of Anambra State, has congratulated Senator Ademola Adeleke, Governor of Osun State, on his re-election for a second term, describing the result of the August 15, 2026 governorship election as a reflection of the confidence Osun voters have placed in Adeleke’s leadership.

Soludo’s message, issued in Awka on Monday through his Chief Press Secretary, Christian Aburime, came as political reactions continued to follow the closely contested Osun election.

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The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Adeleke the winner with 511,067 votes, ahead of All Progressives Congress candidate Bola Oyebamiji, who recorded 444,815 votes.

The result gave Adeleke a margin of 66,252 votes.

The incumbent carried 19 of Osun’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won 11, according to the results reported after the poll.

Soludo said the outcome represented more than a personal victory for Adeleke, arguing that the electorate had used the ballot to express its preference for another four years under the incumbent governor.

“The outcome demonstrated the electorate’s trust in Adeleke to lead the state for another four years,” Soludo said through the statement issued by Aburime.

The Anambra governor also praised Osun residents who participated in the election, describing their involvement as an important expression of democratic citizenship.

Soludo said peaceful participation by voters demonstrated the ability of citizens to shape the direction of their state through the electoral process.

His intervention comes against the backdrop of an intensely fought campaign between Adeleke and Oyebamiji.

Before the election, both leading candidates publicly projected confidence in their chances.

Oyebamiji had said he remained confident of defeating Adeleke and argued that an APC administration would offer a different approach to governance, including greater attention to agriculture and economic development.

Adeleke, meanwhile, campaigned on continuity and defended his administration’s record in areas including workers’ welfare, infrastructure, healthcare and education.

The governor had repeatedly argued that voters would reject what he described as an attempt by the APC to return to power.

The campaign was not without tension.

Adeleke had raised concerns about alleged political violence and called for stronger action against those responsible for attacks during the campaign period.

In July, the governor told a visiting British diplomatic team that election-related violence should have consequences and urged security agencies to protect voters and the integrity of the process.

The two leading candidates nevertheless also received recognition for maintaining a measure of political restraint at certain points during the campaign.

A July report noted that Adeleke and Oyebamiji had demonstrated political maturity during the funeral ceremonies of the late mother of APC National Secretary Ajibola Basiru, despite the wider political tension surrounding the election.

That contrast between fierce electoral competition and moments of political civility has become an important part of the story surrounding the Osun poll.

The election itself followed months of preparation by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

INEC’s final candidate list identified Adeleke as the incumbent seeking another term and Oyebamiji as the APC challenger.

The electorate had also expanded significantly since the previous Osun governorship election.

An analysis published before the poll reported that registered voters had risen from 1,955,657 in the 2022 election to 2,339,233 in 2026, representing an increase of 384,433 registered voters.

The increased electorate added another layer to a contest already shaped by strong party mobilisation, regional political networks and competing claims over the performance of the Adeleke administration.

Adeleke’s victory also comes after a period of political and legal uncertainty surrounding his candidacy and the Accord Party.

In July, the Court of Appeal affirmed the party’s legal standing ahead of the election, after which Adeleke urged supporters to intensify grassroots mobilisation.

With the result now declared, Soludo has called on political actors to move beyond the contest itself.

The Anambra governor urged the ruling party in Osun, opposition groups and civil society organisations to embrace peace and unity, arguing that governance after an election should rise above partisan divisions.

“As Adeleke embarks on his renewed journey of leadership, Soludo posits that true governance thrives when leaders rise above partisan differences to act magnanimously and focus on shared goals of development,” the statement said.

The message carries particular significance because Adeleke’s second term will begin after an election in which the margin between the two leading candidates was substantial but the competition remained intense across the state.

For Adeleke, the immediate task is now to turn an electoral mandate into tangible governance while addressing the political divisions exposed during the campaign.

For the APC and other opposition groups, the result provides an opportunity to reassess their strategy ahead of future elections, particularly as Nigeria moves towards the 2027 general elections.

Soludo’s congratulatory message also fits into a wider wave of reactions to Adeleke’s victory.

Speaker of the House of Representatives Abbas Tajudeen congratulated the governor and described the outcome as evidence that democratic competition could thrive under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

The Action Democratic Party also congratulated Adeleke, describing the result as a significant development in Osun’s democratic journey.

The varying reactions underline the broader significance of the election beyond Osun.

As one of Nigeria’s major off-cycle governorship contests before the 2027 general election, the poll offered political parties an opportunity to test their grassroots structures, messaging and voter appeal.

For Soludo, however, the immediate focus is on the people of Osun and the responsibility that comes with a renewed mandate.

He wished Adeleke a successful second term, urging the governor to approach the next four years with “magnanimity, wisdom, and courage” and to pursue development that delivers lasting benefits to Osun residents.

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The congratulatory message therefore carries a broader appeal: after the ballots have been counted and political competition has ended, the real measure of victory will ultimately be whether the renewed mandate produces meaningful improvements in the lives of the people who gave it.