Tinubu Congratulated Adeleke Before INEC Announced Osun Result

The spokesperson for the Imole Campaign Council, Pelumi Olajengbesi, praised President Bola Tinubu on Sunday. He said Tinubu showed commitment to a free and fair governorship election in Osun State.

Olajengbesi spoke after the Independent National Electoral Commission announced Governor Ademola Adeleke as the winner of the August 15 governorship election at the commission’s office in Osogbo.

He mentioned that Tinubu called Adeleke to congratulate him on his victory before INEC made the result public.

The election came after a tense campaign filled with accusations between the ruling Accord Party and the APC over political violence, security, and the way the poll was conducted.

In the weeks leading up to the election, Adeleke asked Tinubu to step in regarding alleged killings and what he called political oppression in the state. The APC denied the claims and accused the governor of trying to blame the President for his political troubles.

The Imole Campaign Council had also reached out to the British High Commission and the Inspector-General of Police. They raised concerns about security and called for the August 15 election to be free, fair, and credible.

As the election date got closer, the campaign council supported Tinubu’s instructions to the police and other security agencies to act professionally and neutrally during the election. They said the President’s directive was necessary to protect voters and uphold the credibility of the process.

Given this context, Olajengbesi said the President deserved praise for how the election was conducted.

“We are also appreciative of Mr President because, at the beginning of this election, Mr President told the world and informed the Independent National Electoral Commission that the poll should be credible, and we agree that the election was credible, free, and fair.

“Even before the election results were announced, Mr President called Governor Adeleke and congratulated him. Politics should not be a do-or-die affair, and that is what Governor Adeleke stands for. Throughout this campaign, he has been more interested in the people.”

“I am super excited. This is the manifestation of God and the will of the people of Osun State. This election has clearly shown that Governor Ademola Adeleke is the man of the people, and it shows that Mr Governor has performed excellently. The people of Osun have renewed his mandate. Despite all the intimidation, harassment, and reckless use of power by all institutions, Mr Governor emerged victorious.

“This is proof that the people of Osun State are determined to elect a leader who is willing to serve them,” he said.

His comments came right after the State Returning Officer, Prof Joshua Ogunwole, the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, announced Adeleke's victory at about 7:24 am on Sunday.

Adeleke, the Accord Party candidate, received 511,067 votes to beat his nearest rival, Bola Oyebamiji from the All Progressives Congress, who got 444,815 votes. Adeleke won in 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won in 11. The African Democratic Congress candidate, Najeem Salaam, came in third.

This result marks Adeleke’s return for a second term after he switched from the Peoples Democratic Party, where he won in 2022, to secure the Accord Party ticket for the 2026 election.

The campaign spokesperson added that Adeleke instructed his supporters not to engage in vote-buying before the election.

He also praised the voters for standing by the governor despite what he called pressure to abandon him.

Yet, reports of vote-buying and other issues have surfaced after the election.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has called on INEC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to investigate reports of vote-buying, financial inducement, illegal election financing, voter intimidation, violence, and other electoral offences linked to the election.