Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has paid a surprise congratulatory visit to Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, following the governor’s victory in the August 15 governorship election.
Obasanjo visited Adeleke on Sunday, shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) formally declared the incumbent the winner of the keenly contested poll. The unexpected meeting provided a celebratory moment as the former president congratulated Adeleke on securing another four-year mandate.
Reports from the visit said Adeleke appeared surprised by Obasanjo’s arrival and responded by dancing and singing a praise song before welcoming the former president. The encounter was captured on video and subsequently attracted attention on social media.
Adeleke, who contested the election on the platform of the Accord Party, polled 511,067 votes, defeating his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who secured 444,815 votes.
The governor won in 19 of Osun’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji carried 11, according to the results declared by INEC. Adeleke’s winning margin stood at 66,252 votes.
Obasanjo’s visit is significant because of his continued influence in Nigeria’s political affairs and the symbolic value of congratulating a governor immediately after a closely contested election.
The development comes as political leaders across the country continue to react to Adeleke’s re-election. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and other political figures have also congratulated the Osun governor and commended voters for participating in the election.
Adeleke’s victory gives him another four years in office after he first became governor in 2022. He originally won that election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but contested the 2026 election under Accord following his departure from the PDP.
The latest election also produced a larger victory margin for Adeleke than the 2022 contest, when he defeated former governor Gboyega Oyetola by 28,344 votes.
With the election concluded, attention is now shifting toward Adeleke’s second-term agenda and expectations from residents as he prepares to continue governing Osun State.
