The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Joash Amupitan, SAN, has formally declared the Osun 2026 Situation Room closed, marking the end of the Commission’s central monitoring and oversight operations for the Osun State Governorship Election
Amupitan said the closure followed the “successful conclusion” of the election and the declaration of results in the early hours of Sunday, August 16, 2026.
In a post on INEC’s official X handle, the chairman expressed appreciation to staff for their dedication, sacrifice and professionalism throughout the electoral process.
He commended personnel at the Commission’s headquarters, in Osun State and local government offices, as well as those deployed to polling units and technical teams.
The professor noted that many staff sacrificed time with their families and worked under demanding conditions to safeguard the integrity of the process. He also attributed the “peaceful atmosphere” during the election to “the grace and protection of Almighty God.”
Amupitan described the Osun election as a milestone, not a destination, and said lessons from it must inform preparations for the 2027 General Election.
He urged staff to sustain vigilance, transparency, professionalism and neutrality in the discharge of their duties.
“Let us learn from our experience, refine our strategies and approach the upcoming national task with renewed vigour and absolute neutrality. Let us remain steadfast in our duty, knowing that we are the gatekeepers of our nation’s democracy,” he said.
INEC declared Governor Ademola Adeleke the winner of the election on Sunday morning.
Returning Officer, Prof. Joshua Ogunwole, announced that Adeleke scored 511,067 votes to defeat Bola Oyebamiji of the APC who got 444,815 votes. Najeem Salaam of the ADC came third with 17,180 votes.
A total of 1,005,800 votes were cast across the 30 local government areas, with 985,079 valid votes. INEC said 1,010,684 voters were accredited for the poll.
