By Opeyemi Adelakun
President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Ademola Adeleke on his re-election as Osun State governor, saying the result demonstrates the choice of the electorate and reinforces confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.
Tinubu’s reaction came on Sunday after the Independent National Electoral Commission declared Adeleke, the Accord Party candidate, winner of the August 15 governorship election.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President disclosed that he had personally called Adeleke to congratulate him.
“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,” Tinubu said.
The President, however, tasked Adeleke with extending his administration beyond the political divisions exposed during the campaign, urging him to unite residents irrespective of how they voted.
“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,” he said.
Tinubu also commended the other candidates for participating in the election, saying their involvement contributed to the country’s democratic development.
“I salute the courage and discipline displayed by other contestants in the election. Their participation deepened and enriched our country’s democratic culture,” the President said.
He added that the outcome demonstrated the supremacy of voters in the electoral process.
“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.
Tinubu further praised the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies for what he described as a peaceful and transparent process that produced a clear winner.
Adeleke was declared winner at about 7:24am on Sunday by the State Returning Officer, Prof Joshua Ogunwole, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti.
The governor polled 511,067 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress, who secured 444,815 votes.
Adeleke won 19 of Osun’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won 11. Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress came third with 17,180 votes.
The result secures Adeleke another four years in office after he won the governorship election in 2022 on the PDP platform before switching to Accord for the 2026 contest.
Earlier on Sunday, Adeleke had acknowledged Tinubu’s congratulatory call and reaffirmed his support for the President’s bid for a second term in 2027, describing him as a son of Osun State.
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