I’ll correct my errors, re-elected governor Adeleke tells Osun electorate

Osun state Governor Ademola Adeleke was declared winner of the Saturday governorship election Sunday in Osogbo, the state capital.

He secured a second term with a total of 511,067 votes, beating his closest rival and the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes to place second, while Hon. Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) placed third with 17,180 votes.

The incumbent governor beat the APC candidate with 66,252 votes.

The final results were announced Sunday morning by the returning officer, Prof. Joshua Ogunwole, triggering widespread jubilation among residents, particularly in Ede, the governor’s hometown.

Excited Adeleke remarks

In his victory address, Governor Adeleke dedicated his re-election to God and the people of Osun state, appealing for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a collective push toward peace and unity.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the governor urged residents to heal the wounds of pre-election tension, just as he promised to correct his past errors in his second tenure.

He called on citizens to avoid post-election attacks on rivals and resist retaliatory actions stemming from old grievances, emphasising the importance of forgiveness and communal harmony.

Governor Adeleke specifically tasked community leaders and traditional institutions with spearheading grassroots peace-building efforts. Commending the resilience and commitment of Osun residents to democracy, he pledged not to betray their trust.

“As you have trusted me with a second term in office, I will reinforce my strong points and correct my errors. Osun will witness further accelerated development and growth under my renewed five-point agenda,” Adeleke reassured.

The governor also expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for supporting a credible electoral process.

Describing Tinubu as “a son of Osun State,” Adeleke reaffirmed his earlier endorsement of the president for a second term in the 2027 presidential election.

He extended an olive branch to his co-contestants, declaring that there is “no victor, no vanquished” in the contest, and reiterated his vision to transform Osun from a civil service economy into a thriving industrial hub.

…APC

Meanwhile, the state chapter of the APC announced that its leadership is scrutinising the governorship election results across all 332 wards in the state to determine its next legal steps.

In a statement signed by the party’s Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, the APC stated that it is carefully reviewing data to explore available constitutional avenues.

“We are not unaware of the fact that an election is a process which begins at voter registration through primary elections to the main election, and extends to the Tribunal, the Appeal Court, and terminates at the Supreme Court,” the statement noted.

The party commended the steadfastness and loyalty of its members, maintaining that as an organisation founded on the rule of law and fairness, it will pursue legal redress upon consultation with its legal team.

The APC urged its support base to remain calm, avoid provocative actions, and called on the Nigeria Police Force to protect members allegedly being targeted by the ruling party.

 ….Police caution

And following the conclusion of the poll, the Osun State Police Command warned residents to celebrate responsibly and avoid prohibited actions that could compromise public safety.

In a statement by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, the Election Commissioner of Police, CP Samuel Erale Etaifo, congratulated the people on the peaceful completion of the election while stressing that celebrations must remain strictly within the bounds of the law.

The police command specifically prohibited reckless driving, dangerous stunts, and traffic obstruction.

The CP warned against discharge of firearms, use of fireworks, or brandishing of dangerous weapons, saying that the destruction of public or private infrastructure, violent street processions and provocative attacks on political opponents will not be allowed.

The command announced the strategic deployment of security personnel across the state, warning that violators caught perpetrating crimes under the guise of post-election celebrations will face immediate arrest and prosecution.

YIAGA

Also in its post-election assessment, pro-democracy civil society organization Yiaga Africa commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies largely for passing the test of electoral integrity.

Addressing journalists Sunday in Osogbo, Chairman of the 2026 Osun Election Observation Mission for Yiaga Africa, Dr. Asmau Maikudi, noted that the off-cycle ballot served as a crucial trial for the Electoral Act 2026 and new regulatory frameworks ahead of the 2027 general elections.

While commending voter turnout and resilience, the observation mission issued key recommendation, urging INEC to issue binding guidance on downloadable PVCs, conduct a comprehensive technical audit of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices, publish causes of biometric authentication failures, and rigorously train ad-hoc field personnel.

Yiaga Africa urged security agencies to coordinate early joint deployments from Registration Area Centers (RACs) and publish detailed deployment reports outlining arrests and prosecution plans, particularly concerning pre-election violence.

It advised political parties to deepen commitments to internal democracy by properly training polling agents on the Electoral Act 2026.

The group urged anti-graft agencies to extend enforcement beyond immediate polling perimeters to crack down on vote-buying and financial inducements by party agents.

           Tinubu lauds victory

In his reaction to the election outcome, President Tinubu said Adeleke’s re-election is a fitting assurance that democracy will continue to flourish in our country under the APC administration.

“I called Governor Ademola Adeleke earlier today to congratulate him on his election victory in Osun State. His victory once again confirmed the confidence the people of Osun State have in him.

“I wish him great success as he prepares to lead the state for the next four years. Now that he has won, Governor Adeleke must unite the people of Osun State and rally them for growth, stability, and social and economic progress, regardless of the political choices they made at the election.

“I salute the courage and discipline displayed by other contestants in the election. Their participation deepened and enriched our country’s democratic culture. The outcome of the election reflects the will of the people and is a fitting assurance that democracy will continue to flourish in our land,” he said.

President Tinubu commended INEC and the security agencies for conducting a peaceful and transparent election that produced a clear winner.