The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the closure of its Situation Room, marking the formal end of operations for the 2026 Osun State Governorship Election.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, disclosed this shortly after the Commission declared Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winner of the keenly contested poll, which had 15 political parties in the race.
The Returning Officer for the election, Joshua Ogunwole, had announced that Adeleke polled 511,067 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 444,815 votes. Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) trailed in third position with 17,180 votes.
Speaking on the closure of the Situation Room, which served as the Commission’s central monitoring and coordination hub throughout the exercise, Amupitan said the decision followed the “successful conclusion” of Saturday’s election and the declaration of results in the early hours of Sunday.
The INEC boss commended staff at the Commission’s headquarters, as well as those in Osun State and local government offices, for their dedication and professionalism. He gave special mention to personnel deployed to polling units and members of the technical teams, noting that many worked under difficult conditions and sacrificed time with their families to ensure a smooth exercise.
Amupitan said the experience garnered from the Osun election would help shape the Commission’s preparations ahead of the 2027 General Election, stressing that INEC remains committed to professionalism, transparency and strict neutrality.
He charged staff to stay dedicated to the Commission’s mandate, describing them as “gatekeepers” of Nigeria’s democracy.
“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,” Amupitan said.
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