Osun APC candidate Oyebamiji visits Tinubu after election defeat

The All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Osun State, Bola Oyebamiji, has visited President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, days after losing the state’s governorship election to incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke.

The meeting was disclosed on Friday by Tinubu’s Special Assistant on Social Media, Olusegun Dada, who shared a video of the encounter on X.

Dada captioned the video, “President Bola Tinubu meets in audience Asiwaju Bola Oyebamiji, the governorship candidate of the APC in the recently concluded Osun State gubernatorial elections.”

Oyebamiji’s visit came a day after Adeleke also met with Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, where the governor presented his Certificate of Return to the President following his victory in the election.

Election outcome

Adeleke, who contested under the platform of the Accord Party, defeated Oyebamiji in the August 15 governorship election after securing 511,067 votes.

Oyebamiji, the APC candidate, polled 444,815 votes, while the African Democratic Congress candidate, Najeem Salaam, finished third with 17,180 votes.

Adeleke won in 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji secured victory in 11 local government areas.

The Independent National Electoral Commission’s State Returning Officer, Professor Joshua Ogunwole, subsequently declared Adeleke the winner on Sunday, August 16.

Tinubu congratulates Adeleke

Following the declaration of the result, Tinubu congratulated Adeleke on his victory, describing the outcome as a reflection of the will of the people of Osun State.

The President said the election demonstrated that democracy continued to flourish in Nigeria and urged the governor to use his renewed mandate to unite the people of the state.

Tinubu also called on Adeleke to focus on the development of Osun State and ensure that his administration worked for the benefit of all residents, regardless of their political affiliations.

Adeleke thanks President

Adeleke later thanked Tinubu for what he described as his role in ensuring a free and fair election in Osun State.

The governor also reaffirmed his support for Tinubu’s bid to secure another term in office in the 2027 presidential election.

On Thursday, August 20, Adeleke visited Tinubu at the Presidential Villa and presented his Certificate of Return to the President.

During the meeting, Tinubu urged the governor to demonstrate “magnanimity in victory” and work towards promoting unity, peace and stability across Osun State.

Adeleke subsequently told journalists that his visit was primarily to appreciate the President for allowing the electoral process to take place freely and fairly.

Oyebamiji meets Tinubu

Oyebamiji’s meeting with Tinubu therefore comes shortly after the APC candidate’s defeat and a day after Adeleke’s visit to the President.

The purpose and details of Oyebamiji’s latest meeting with Tinubu were not disclosed in the information made public on Friday.

However, the meeting brings together the President and his party’s Osun governorship candidate shortly after the conclusion of the closely contested election.

The APC candidate had campaigned extensively for the party ahead of the poll, but was defeated by Adeleke, who secured a margin of 66,252 votes.

The outcome has since generated political reactions across the state, with the APC indicating that it was reviewing the election results and could pursue legal options.

The latest meeting between Oyebamiji and Tinubu is expected to attract further attention as political stakeholders assess the outcome of the Osun election and begin preparations for the next political cycle.