The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, winner of Saturday’s governorship election.

Adeleke, who contested on the platform of the Accord Party, polled 511,067 votes to defeat his closest challenger, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes.

The State Returning Officer, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Prof. Joshua Ogunwole, declared the result at about 7:24 a.m. on Sunday.

Adeleke won in 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji secured victory in 11 local government areas.

The governor recorded victories in Ede North, Ede South, Ejigbo, Iwo, Egbedore, Ife North, Ife East, Ife Central, Oriade, Ifelodun, Orolu, Ayedaade, Ayedire, Odo Otin, Boluwaduro, Ilesa West, Ifedayo, Osogbo and Ayedire local government areas.

Oyebamiji won in Irewole, Isokan, Olorunda, Atakumosa East, Atakumosa West, Ilesa East, Boripe, Irepodun and Obokun local government areas.

According to the Returning Officer, 1,010,684 voters were accredited, while 1,005,800 votes were cast. Of the total votes cast, 985,079 were valid and 20,721 were rejected.

Oyebamiji polled 444,815 votes, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Najeem Salaam, came third with 17,180 votes.

Declaring the result, Ogunwole said, “That Ademola Nurudeen-Jackson Adeleke, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner of the August 15 Governorship Election and returned elected.”

Agents of the political parties signed the election results before the Returning Officer formally declared Adeleke the winner.