The Action Democratic Party candidate in the 2026 Osun State governorship election, Adeagbo Opawoye Yemisi, has disputed reports that she finished sixth in the poll, insisting that the official result declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission placed her in fourth position.
Opawoye made the clarification in a statement issued in Osogbo on Saturday, following reports in some media outlets that incorrectly ranked her among the candidates who finished sixth in the election.
According to the ADP candidate, the figures contained in the official INEC Form EC8E, Declaration of Result, clearly show that she secured 2,946 votes, which placed her fourth among the 15 candidates who contested the governorship election.
She attached a copy of the EC8E form to her statement, noting that the document contained the votes recorded by all the candidates and was signed by the State Returning Officer, Prof. Joshua Ogunwole.
ADP Candidate Demands Accurate Ranking
Opawoye said her clarification became necessary because of what she described as an error in reports concerning the final ranking of candidates.
She stressed that the issue was not intended to generate controversy but was aimed at ensuring that the public record accurately reflected the results declared by INEC.
Based on the figures she referenced, the ranking showed Accord in first place with 511,067 votes, followed by the All Progressives Congress with 444,815 votes. The African Democratic Congress came third with 17,180 votes, while ADP secured fourth position with 2,946 votes.
The Zenith Labour Party followed with 2,482 votes, while the Action Alliance recorded 2,308 votes to finish sixth.
The figures therefore place the ADP candidate ahead of the ZLP and AA candidates, contrary to reports that had listed her in sixth position.
Opawoye Appeals for Reliance on INEC Results
The ADP candidate appealed to journalists, political stakeholders and members of the public to rely on the official INEC EC8E declaration when reporting the final standings from the Osun governorship election.
Her appeal comes at a time when post-election discussions remain focused on the performance of the various political parties and candidates who participated in the contest.
While the difference between fourth, fifth and sixth positions does not alter the winner of the election, the ranking remains important to the candidates and political parties involved, particularly when assessing their electoral strength and level of support across the state.
For Opawoye and the ADP, the correction provides an opportunity to formally place their performance on record and distinguish the party’s result from those of the candidates who finished immediately behind it.
Adeleke Emerges Winner
The Osun governorship election was won by the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke, who contested on the platform of Accord.
Adeleke polled 511,067 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the APC, who recorded 444,815 votes. The result was declared by the State Returning Officer, Prof. Joshua Ogunwole.
The wide gap between the first two candidates dominated much of the post-election discussion, but the performance of smaller parties also attracted attention as political stakeholders examined the distribution of votes across the state.
For the ADP, securing 2,946 votes and fourth position gives the party a defined place in the final ranking. Opawoye’s clarification is therefore aimed at preventing the party’s performance from being inaccurately reported.
Importance of Accurate Election Reporting
Election results are often subjected to intense scrutiny after polling, particularly when several candidates compete and the differences between lower-ranked contestants are relatively small.
In the case of the Osun election, the difference between ADP’s 2,946 votes and ZLP’s 2,482 votes was 464 votes, while the gap between ADP and the Action Alliance, which recorded 2,308 votes, was 638 votes.
Consequently, accurately recording the official figures is important for establishing the correct ranking of the candidates.
The ADP candidate’s statement reinforces her position that journalists and members of the public should consult the official declaration rather than rely on incorrect summaries or secondary reports.
As attention gradually shifts from the election itself to the next phase of governance and political activities in Osun, the clarification ensures that the ADP’s performance is properly reflected in the public record.
