The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday presented the Certificate of Return to Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, formally confirming his re-election for another four-year term. The ceremony took place at the commission's office in Osogbo, the state capital, with INEC National Commissioner Supervising Osun State, Professor Kunle Ajayi, handing over the certificate to Mr. Adeleke and his deputy, Kola Adewusi.
Governor’s Acceptance Speech and Gratitude
In his acceptance speech, Mr. Adeleke expressed gratitude to INEC and security agencies for the successful conduct of Saturday's governorship election. He also thanked President Bola Tinubu for allowing democracy to thrive, wishing him success in the 2027 general elections. The governor called on those who contested the election against him to join him in moving the state forward, stating, “Osun is bigger than anyone.”
Mr. Adeleke acknowledged individuals who lost their lives during the election and promised scholarships for their children. He added that he had forgiven all those who wronged him during the electioneering period, appealing to his supporters to also forgive whatever happened in the past. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the presentation of the certificates was witnessed by party members and supporters.
Election Results and Final Tally
INEC, in the early hours of Sunday, declared Adeleke the winner after he polled 511,067 votes to defeat his closest rival, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 444,815 votes. The INEC Returning Officer, Professor Joshua Ogunwole, who declared the results at the INEC collation centre, said the candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Najeem Salaam, came third with 17,180 votes.
Professor Ogunwole, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti, provided a detailed breakdown of the voting figures. He said the total valid votes cast were 985,079, while 20,721 votes were rejected, bringing the total number of votes cast to 1,005,800. The presentation of the certificate marks the formal conclusion of the electoral process for the Osun State governorship election, with Governor Adeleke now set to begin his second term in office.
