By Dennis Okechukwu
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has admitted that his administration made mistakes during its first term and promised to correct them as he begins a second term in office.
Adeleke made the pledge while addressing President Bola Tinubu following his victory in the Osun State governorship election, saying his administration would consolidate its achievements while addressing areas where it fell short.
“As you have trusted me with 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,” the governor said.
Adeleke also extended an olive branch to his political opponents, declaring that there was no victor or vanquished in the election and urging residents to embrace peace and unity after a tense campaign period.
“In this race, there is no victor, no vanquished. I extend an olive branch to my co-contestants. I am the Governor of all Osun people,” he said.
He promised to build on his administration’s achievements and widen the scope of good governance, with a renewed focus on transforming Osun from what he described as a civil service state into an industrial state and investment destination.
Adeleke’s remarks came after the Independent National Electoral Commission declared him winner of Saturday’s governorship election.
The governor polled 511,067 votes to defeat the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who secured 444,815 votes. Adeleke won 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won 11.
The ADC candidate, Najeem Salaam, came third with 17,180 votes.
Reacting to the outcome, President Tinubu congratulated Adeleke and urged him to use his second term to unite the people of Osun State, regardless of their political affiliations.
Tinubu, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said he had personally called Adeleke to congratulate him on his victory.
The President said the result reflected the confidence placed in Adeleke by the people of the state and urged him to work for the growth, stability and socio-economic development of Osun.
“I wish him great success as he prepares to lead the state for the next four years,” Tinubu said.
“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 added.
Adeleke, in his victory remarks, also appealed to residents to forgive one another and avoid reprisals following weeks of political tension and reported violence during the electioneering period.
He called on community leaders and traditional institutions to strengthen peace-building efforts in their communities, while warning against post-election attacks on political opponents.
The governor dedicated his victory to God and the people of Osun, commending residents for what he described as their resilience and commitment to democracy.
He also promised that his administration would accelerate development and improve governance during his second term.
Adeleke further commended Tinubu for his support for a peaceful and credible election, describing the President as a son of Osun State.
He subsequently reaffirmed his earlier endorsement of Tinubu’s bid for re-election in the 2027 presidential election.
Meanwhile, the APC said it was studying the results from the 332 wards across the state before deciding whether to challenge the outcome at the election tribunal.
The party said it would consult its legal team and explore available options under the Electoral Act, while urging its members and supporters to remain calm and avoid actions that could trigger violence.
The African Democratic Congress also congratulated Adeleke on his re-election but demanded an explanation from INEC over what it described as an interruption in the uploading of polling-unit results to the IReV portal during the election.
The ADC said the alleged interruption lasted several hours and warranted clarification from the electoral commission, although it did not provide evidence that INEC deliberately halted the uploads.
The party nevertheless described Adeleke’s victory as evidence of the strength of democracy and urged opposition parties to draw lessons from the election ahead of the 2027 general elections.
ADC candidate Salaam also congratulated Adeleke, urging him to use his second term to address areas where his administration had fallen short, consolidate its achievements and work for the benefit of all residents.
Salaam said the election had demonstrated that politics should not be treated as a do-or-die affair, stressing that the people had spoken and their choice should be respected.