Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support for a free and fair election following his victory in Saturday’s governorship election.
Adeleke, in a statement posted on X on Sunday, described his re-election as a victory for the people of Osun State, while expressing appreciation to Tinubu and others who supported the democratic process.
“I thank Mr President, His Excellency Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his support for a free and fair election,” Adeleke said, adding that he also appreciated “all lovers of democracy, at home and abroad, and especially the media for standing firmly with democracy.”
Adeleke secured his second term after polling 511,067 votes to defeat his closest challenger, All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes. The governor won 19 of Osun’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won the remaining 11, giving Adeleke a winning margin of 66,252 votes.
The governor said he was “deeply humbled and grateful to God and the good people of Osun State” for entrusting him with another term in office.
Adeleke said the victory belonged to the people and promised not to disappoint them.
“This victory belongs to the people. I commend your resilience, your courage and your unwavering commitment to democracy. I will not disappoint you,” he said.
Following a campaign period marked by political tensions and reports of pre-election violence, Adeleke called on residents to embrace peace, forgiveness and unity.
“As we turn the page on the election, I appeal to all Osun people to embrace peace, forgiveness and unity. There is no victor, no vanquished,” he said.
He also extended an olive branch to his opponents, declaring, “I am the Governor of all.”
Adeleke remembered victims of the pre-election violence with a minute of silence and urged traditional rulers, community leaders and other stakeholders to support healing and reconciliation across the state.
Looking ahead to his second term, the governor promised to consolidate his administration’s achievements while addressing areas where it had fallen short.
“I will reinforce our strong points, correct our shortcomings and build on the progress we have made,” he said.
Adeleke also restated his administration’s ambition to transform Osun from a civil service-dependent state into an industrial hub and investment destination.
“Osun is on the march again. We will accelerate development, widen the net of good governance and continue our journey to transform Osun from a civil service state into an industrial state and a preferred investment destination,” he said.