INEC Makes Fresh Announcement After Declaring Adeleke Winner Of Osun Election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially closed its Situation Room following the conclusion of the 2026 Osun State governorship election and the declaration of a winner.

INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, announced the closure after Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party was declared the winner of the August 15 election in the early hours of Sunday, August 16, 2026.

According to IREPORTER ONLINE, the Situation Room served as a central monitoring and coordination centre throughout the electoral process, providing oversight as the election was conducted across the state.

The returning officer, Professor Joshua Ogunwole, declared Adeleke winner after he secured 511,067 votes, defeating his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who polled 444,815 votes. Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) finished third with 17,180 votes.

In his message following the conclusion of the exercise, Amupitan described the closure of the Situation Room as the next step after what he called the successful completion of the election and the subsequent declaration of the results.

The INEC chairman commended the commission’s personnel for their commitment, professionalism and sacrifices throughout the electoral process. He acknowledged the contributions of officials at the commission’s headquarters, Osun State office, local government offices, polling units and technical teams deployed across the state.

Amupitan noted that several officials worked under challenging conditions and sacrificed valuable time with their families to ensure the smooth conduct of the election and protect the integrity of the process.

He stressed that the experience gained from the Osun election would be valuable in strengthening the commission’s preparations for the 2027 general elections.

The INEC chairman also reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to professionalism, transparency and neutrality, urging staff to remain dedicated to their responsibilities as the body prepares for the next major electoral assignment.

He said the commission must learn from the Osun experience, improve its strategies and approach the 2027 elections with renewed determination and impartiality.

Amupitan further reminded INEC officials of their responsibility as custodians of Nigeria’s democratic process and urged them to remain steadfast in carrying out their duties.