Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has called for compassion and support for families of those who lost their lives during the Osun State governorship election.
Obi made the call in a statement shared on his X account on Monday while congratulating Governor Ademola Adeleke and the people of Osun State on the outcome of the election.
He commended the people of the state for participating in the electoral process, saying the result reaffirmed the principle that “power belongs to the people.”
However, Obi urged Nigerians not to allow the celebration of Adeleke’s victory to overshadow the loss of lives recorded during the electoral period.
“As we celebrate this success, let’s not forget those who made the supreme sacrifice for our democracy during the Osun election,” he said.
He expressed sympathy for the families of those who died “under different circumstances during the electoral period,” adding that they deserved the collective compassion, solidarity and support of Nigerians.
Obi also called on relevant authorities to identify and reach out to the affected families through visits, condolences and appropriate compensation, regardless of their political affiliations.
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He stressed that elections should be centred on the choices and aspirations of the people rather than violence, warning that “no political victory is worth the blood of a Nigerian.”
The former Anambra State governor further called for a more mature democratic culture in which elections would no longer result in the loss of lives and political differences could be resolved through issue-based campaigns and the rule of law.
“My prayer is that our democracy will continue to mature to a point where elections no longer come at the cost of human lives,” Obi said.
He also prayed for comfort for the bereaved families and eternal rest for those who lost their lives.
The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Adeleke the winner of Saturday’s Osun governorship election after he secured 403,371 votes to defeat his closest rival, the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 347,634 votes.