.It’s a victory for democracy- Adeleke
.We’re considering our constitutional options — APC
.EU observers record 323 electoral irregularities, 38 security incidents
.As Osun gov reiterates support for President ahead of 2027 polls
Cyril Mbah, Chinwe Odita, Tunde Adeleke and Kasie Abone
The re-election of Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State appears to be gaining broad political acceptance, with prominent leaders of rival political parties congratulating him on his victory in the August 15 governorship election, even as the All Progressives Congress (APC), whose candidate came second, weighs its constitutional options.
The stream of congratulatory messages from across the political divide has created an atmosphere that could make a prolonged political contest over Adeleke’s victory less likely, particularly as some of the most influential figures behind the opposition parties have acknowledged the outcome as an expression of the will of the Osun electorate.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Adeleke, who contested under the Accord Party, winner of the election after he secured 511,067 votes, defeating his closest challenger, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji of the APC, who polled 444,815 votes. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Najeem Salaam, finished third.
A total of 15 political parties participated in the election, with 1,906,390 Permanent Voter Cards collected, according to INEC.
The result placed Adeleke ahead of Oyebamiji by 66,252 votes and gave him victory in 19 of the 30 local government areas for which results were provided, compared with 11 won by the APC candidate.
The spread of the results across several major political centres, including Osogbo, Ede, Ife and Ijesa, strongly indicated the competitiveness of the election while giving Adeleke a substantial overall advantage.
But beyond the numerical margin, it is the reaction of political leaders whose parties and candidates contested against Adeleke that has become one of the most striking features of the post-election period.
President Bola Tinubu, the leader of the APC, was among the prominent political figures to congratulate Adeleke.
In a statement issued on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said he had personally called Adeleke to congratulate him and described the result as evidence of the confidence reposed in the governor by the people of Osun State.
Tinubu went beyond merely acknowledging the result, urging Adeleke to use his renewed mandate to unite the people of the state, irrespective of their political choices, and pursue growth, stability and social and economic progress.
He also commended the other contestants for their participation, saying the outcome reflected the will of the people and represented an assurance that democracy would continue to flourish in Nigeria.
The President further commended INEC and the security agencies for what he described as a peaceful and transparent election that produced a clear winner.
Tinubu’s congratulatory message carries considerable political weight since the APC was Adeleke’s principal challenger in the election. The party’s candidate, Oyebamiji, a former Finance Commissioner in the state, mounted a formidable challenge and won 11 local government areas.
In several of those areas, the APC candidate recorded substantial victories, including Irewole, Boripe and Ilesa East.
President Tinubu acknowledged Adeleke’s victory and called for a peaceful transition into the governor’s second term, plugging into a chorus of congratulatory and conciliatory reactions among opposition figures outside the APC.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar who is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) congratulated Adeleke and said his victory represented the choice of the people of Osun State as expressed at the ballot box.
Atiku also commended the people of the state on their peaceful participation and wished the governor success in his second term.
Former Anambra State Governor and 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Peter Obi, similarly congratulated Adeleke, describing the outcome as a significant victory for democracy and a reaffirmation of the power of the electorate.
In a statement titled “Osun: When the People Stand, Democracy Wins,” Obi said the people of Osun had spoken with courage and clarity and stressed that the authority to choose leaders ultimately belongs to the electorate.
He attributed Adeleke’s renewed mandate to the governor’s commitment to the people, compassion for their needs and the achievements of his administration.
Obi also commended Osun youths on what he described as their peaceful and courageous defence of their democratic mandate. He argued that the major lesson from the election was the importance of citizen vigilance and protection of the ballot, while urging political actors to put national interest above partisan considerations and embrace peace, unity and the rule of law.
The chorus of congratulations becomes significant given that the election was conducted against a backdrop of intense political competition and security concerns. The contest had generated considerable tension, with large numbers of supporters mobilising behind the principal candidates and raising fears of confrontation.
The EU-SDGN Election Observation Hub, comprising the Centre for Media and Society, International Press Centre, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, TAF Africa, The Kukah Centre and Yiaga Africa, reported 323 cases of electoral offences and irregularities in 726 polling units observed across the state. It also recorded 38 security incidents as of noon on election day.
According to Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director of the International Press Centre, the hub deployed 823 accredited observers across the state’s 30 local government areas. The offences and irregularities reported included 103 cases of vote trading, 12 cases of multiple voting, 28 incidents involving inducement of polling and security officials, 38 cases of campaigning at polling units and 14 cases of voter impersonation.
The observers also recorded 25 cases of thuggery, 12 attacks on electoral officials and nine cases of voter intimidation by security personnel. However, Arogundade said the election environment was generally conducive for journalists and observers, with no major incident reported at the time of the assessment relating to restricted access to polling units.
Against this background, the relatively conciliatory tone of the leading political actors has helped to reduce fears that the post-election period could become another arena for political confrontation.
On his own, Governor Adeleke has, shortly after being declared winner, openly appealed for reconciliation, describing the election as a case of “no victor, no vanquished.” He called on his opponents to join him in moving Osun State forward.
The governor specifically expressed the expectation that Oyebamiji would, “as a civilised person,” call to congratulate him.
The governor also thanked Tinubu for his congratulatory telephone call and praised the President for what he described as his support for a free and fair election.
Adeleke, who had earlier endorsed Tinubu for a second term in the 2027 presidential election, again described the President as a son of Osun State and reaffirmed that endorsement.
Adeleke’s decision to publicly appreciate Tinubu, despite their different party affiliations, and Tinubu’s willingness to congratulate a candidate who defeated his party’s nominee, have combined to produce a less adversarial political narrative than might ordinarily be expected after such a closely fought election.
The APC, however, has not formally conceded defeat. In a statement issued in Osogbo by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, the party said its leadership was studying the results and would explore all constitutional avenues before determining its next course of action.
The party pointed out that the electoral process extends from voter registration and party primaries through the election itself and, where necessary, to the Election Petition Tribunal, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
The APC stated that it would consult its lawyers and would not hesitate to use the legal avenues provided under the Electoral Act 2026 if professional advice indicated grounds for doing so.
Nevertheless, the APC also appealed to its supporters to remain calm, avoid provocative actions and continue with their businesses while the party considers its options.
Daily Champion reports that APC’s measured response, combined with the congratulatory messages from Tinubu, Atiku and Obi, suggests that any dispute over the election may be channeled through legal and constitutional processes rather than political confrontation.
For now, Adeleke’s victory appears to have acquired an important measure of political validation beyond the confines of his own party.
While the APC retains the right to challenge the result if it establishes grounds for doing so, the growing recognition of the outcome by influential figures across the political spectrum has strengthened the impression that the governor’s second-term mandate may not face a serious political challenge.
The significance of de-escalatory statements extends beyond Adeleke and Osun State, coming less than a year before the 2027 general elections. The current, the post-election reactions offer a potentially important demonstration that fierce electoral competition can be followed by acceptance, reconciliation and respect for constitutional procedures.
From the reactions of political lords on the Osun elections, it has become clear that Governor Adeleke may not invest significant post-election energy in defending his victory. Instead, the environment offers him the opportunity to convert the broad acceptance of the result into efforts to unite Osun State.
President Tinubu has already urged him to rally citizens irrespective of how they voted, while Adeleke himself has declared that there should be no victor and no vanquished. What remains is to see how both sides act on the commitments to ensure that the extraordinary post-election mood becomes a lasting political settlement in Osun.
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