Ademola Adeleke is the Governor of Osun State. A member of a wealthy Ede family and the uncle of the musician Davido, he entered politics in 2017 when he succeeded his late brother in the Senate. He lost the 2018 governorship by a narrow margin after a rerun, won in 2022, and in August 2026 won a second term on the platform of Accord after leaving the PDP.12
Early life and career
Adeleke was born on 13 May 1960 and went to school in Lagos and Ede before moving to the United States, where he studied at Jacksonville State University. He completed a degree in criminal justice at Atlanta Metropolitan State College in 2021. He worked in business in the United States and Nigeria, including as an executive director of Pacific Holdings.1
A suit alleged that his secondary school certificate was forged. The Osun High Court dismissed it, finding that the claim had not been proved.1
Senate and the 2018 election
After his brother, Senator Isiaka Adeleke, died in 2017, Adeleke left the APC for the PDP and won the Osun West by-election. In the 2018 governorship election he led the first round, which INEC declared inconclusive; Gboyega Oyetola of the APC won the rerun. A tribunal declared Adeleke the winner in 2019, but the Supreme Court restored Oyetola in July 2019.1
Governor (2022–present)
Adeleke defeated Oyetola in July 2022 with 402,979 votes to 375,077 and took office in November 2022.1 In December 2025, after the PDP’s leadership crisis, he left the party and joined Accord. On 15 August 2026 he was re-elected with 511,067 votes against 444,815 for the APC’s Bola Oyebamiji, winning 19 of the 30 local government areas.12
Personal life
He is married to Titilola Adeleke and has eight children.1
Gboyega Oyetola
