Governor Ademola Adeleke has called for peace and unity in Osun State following his re-election, while the All Progressives Congress considers its legal options after losing Saturday’s governorship election.
Adeleke won 511,067 votes to defeat the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes. The governor won 19 of Osun’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji secured 11. The State Returning Officer, Prof Joshua Ogunwole, declared Adeleke the winner on Sunday, confirming his return for a second term.
Adeleke Calls for Peace
Following his victory, Adeleke extended an olive branch to his opponents and urged residents to put the election behind them. The governor said his administration would build on its achievements while addressing areas where it fell short. He also promised faster development under his renewed five-point agenda.
“In this race, there is no victor, no vanquished. I extend an olive branch to my co-contestants. I am the Governor of all Osun people.”
Adeleke also appealed to community leaders and traditional rulers to promote peace after weeks of political tension and reported violence during the election period.President Bola Tinubu had earlier congratulated Adeleke on his victory. He urged the governor to unite the people of Osun and govern without regard to their political affiliations. Adeleke also reaffirmed his support for Tinubu’s bid for a second term in the 2027 presidential election.
APC Considers Legal Action
Meanwhile, the Osun APC said it was studying the election results before deciding on its next step. The party said it would consult its legal team and could challenge the result through the courts if its lawyers advise it to do so. The APC urged its supporters to remain calm and avoid actions that could lead to further tension across the state. The party said its members would continue to pursue their concerns within the provisions of the Electoral Act.
ADC Demands IReV Explanation
The African Democratic Congress also congratulated Adeleke but asked INEC to explain an alleged interruption in the uploading of polling unit results to its IReV portal. The ADC said the uploads stopped for almost four hours during the election. It called on INEC to explain what happened and address concerns about the transparency of the process. However, the party did not provide evidence that INEC deliberately stopped the uploads.
ADC candidate Najeem Salaam finished third with 17,180 votes. He later congratulated Adeleke and urged the governor to use his second term to improve governance and address areas where his administration had fallen short. Salaam said the election showed that political differences should not threaten peace in the state.
“Politics is not a do-or-die affair. The people have spoken; democracy has prevailed.”
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