The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Ademola Adeleke, the winner of the Osun governorship election.
The Returning Officer for the election and Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, announced that Adeleke got a total of 403,371 votes, beating the incumbent, Prof Adegboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who got 375,027 votes in a keenly contested race, last Saturday.
He said, “I declare Adeleke Ademola Jackson Nurudeen, on behalf of the chairman of INEC, of the PDP, having satisfied the requirement of the law, is hereby declared the winner, and he is returned elected.”
According to the total votes recorded by the electoral umpire, the PDP won 17 of the 30 local government areas of the state, while the APC won the remaining 13.
The PDP won in Ede North, Ede South, Ifelodun, Boluwaduro, Egbedore, OdoOtin, Osogbo, Ila, Atakumosa West, Olorunda, Ilesa West, Obokun, Oriade, Orolu, Ife North, Irepodun, and Ejigbo LGAs.
The APC, on the other hand, won in Boripe, Ilesa East, Ayedire, Ifedayo, Ife Central, Ayedaade, Iwo, Olaoluwa, Isokan, Atakumosa East, Irewole, Ife South, and Ife East LGAs.
Adeleke and his nephew, award-winning Nigerian singer, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, were seen in a video that surfaced online, celebrating an early lead when the counting started.
Meanwhile, in the Situation Room of the PDP, there was also wild jubilation as the PDP claimed it was winning the election even before the final results were announced.
Although many believed the Osun governorship election was a two-horse race between Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and Senator Ademola Adeleke, no fewer than 15 political parties partook in the election.
Other candidates included Akin Ogunbiyi of Accord Party; Lasun Yusuff of Labour Party; Oyegoke Omigbodun of Social Democratic Party; Segun Awojide of African Action Congress; Kehinde Atanda of Action Democratic Party; Awoyemi Lukuman of Allied Peoples Movement; Adebayo Elisha of All Peoples Party; and Adeleke Adedapo of Boot Party.
Rasaq Saliu of New Nigeria Peoples Party; Abede Samuel of National Rescue Movement; Ayowole Adedeji of Peoples Redemption Party; Ademola Adeseye of Young Peoples Party; and Adesuyi Olufemi of Zenith Labour Party also participated in the election.
The election was held across 3,763 units in the 30 LGAs of the state, and witnessed a huge voter turnout and was largely peaceful.
Of the 1,955,657 registered voters in the state, 1,479,595 Permanent Voter Cards were collected before the election.
To keep the peace in the state, the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali, had deployed about 21,000 police operatives, apart from other security outfits also present which included the military and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The poll was, however, characterised by massive vote-buying, which drew the condemnation of some candidates and civil society organisations.
Reacting to his victory at the poll, Senator Ademola Adeleke assured Osun State residents of greater things ahead.
Speaking to newsmen, yesterday, Adeleke assured that Osun State would move forward, describing himself as the governor of the people.
“The people of Osun should expect great things to come to Osun State. This governor is for the people, for the grassroots.
“They supported me, and Osun State will never again go backwards, they will keep moving forward, and I can assure you once again, I’ll not disappoint the masses that stood by me.
“I’ll go ahead and make sure Osun is great again. I’ll bring good tidings to Osun.Thank you to everyone.”
In his reaction, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Iyorchia Ayu, said with the result of the Osun State governorship election, the residents of the state have spoken.
Ayu said like, in Osun, Nigerians would also speak in 2023 by electing its Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
In a statement, yesterday, PDP national chairman alleged that Oyetola and the APC did everything to frustrate their chances.
He alleged they were denied the use of any public facility in the state capital for their mega-rally.
The statement partly read, “We had to use the party’s state secretariat. As it were, we couldn’t have access to the stadium, but we had access to the people’s hearts, loyalty and votes.
“Twelve years ago, specifically on November 26, 2010, the PDP lost Osun State – not through the ballot-box – but via a judicial coup (ruling).
“That coup (ruling) terminated the action-packed tenure of Olagunsoye Oyinlola. And since then, Osun has been frozen in executive misrule and underdevelopment.
“Four years ago, the PDP won the governorship, but our Candidate, Sen. Ademola Adeleke, was robbed of victory in broad daylight. We went back to the drawing board, and today, we have reclaimed our victory.
“Today is, therefore, not just a day of double restoration – it’s a day of redemption too. It restores PDP to power and redeems the Osun people from the scourge of mediocrity, empty promises and excuses.
“I congratulate the two-time winner, the tenacious Adeleke. I congratulate the good people and residents of Osun State. I hail every party stakeholder who stood with us in action, prayers and hope.
“You have kept faith with the PDP. You refused to be intimidated. You refused to be bought over with foodstuffs and 30 silver coins. You said no to thuggery and vote fraud. You have done well.
“I thank the PDP National Campaign Council for the Osun State Governorship Election, headed by Governor Duoye Diri, for a superlative performance. I thank our Vice Presidential Candidate, Governor Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa for the tireless work.
“You have helped to return PDP to power after 12 years. You have returned hope to Osun State. But beyond this, you have renewed the quit notice on the reigning APC-led Federal Government. PDP first issued the quit notice in December, last year, when this present leadership assumed office”.
Ayu, who described the election as a referendum on the disastrous APC stewardship, said it also proves that Nigerians want the PDP back.
PDP national chairman also commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as well as security agencies for toeing the path of neutrality and ensuring that the votes counted.
Also reacting, President Muhammadu Buhari congratulated Senator Ademola Adeleke, following victory of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Saturday’s gubernatorial election in Osun State.
A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity), Femi Adesina, yesterday, said, “With the election over, the President expresses conviction that the people of Osun have expressed their will through the ballot, and the will of the people must always matter and be respected in a democracy.
“President Buhari notes that the successful conduct of the election is a further testimony to the maturity and commitment of all stakeholders – the electoral body, security agencies, political parties, the media, civil society and the electorate- to further strengthen the integrity of the electoral process in the country.
“The President reassures the nation that the commitment of this administration towards having credible elections remains unshaken”.
In the same vein, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has described the Osun State governorship election victory of the party as a light that has come to the state.
Atiku congratulated, especially the people of Osun State, for proving that power actually belongs to the people.
The former vice-president also congratulated Senator Ademola Adeleke for winning the governorship election in the state, saying it was a well-fought success.
Atiku celebrated the candidate and the party in a post, yesterday, saying, “Light has come to Osun. Congratulations, Senator Ademola Adeleke, on a well-fought victory. Also, hearty congratulations to the PDP family and all stakeholders who came together to make this possible.
“Most importantly, congratulations to the great people of Osun State for proving that power, indeed, belongs to the people.”
The former vice-president, during the governorship campaign rally, last Thursday, had said that Osun was a PDP state, and solicited that citizens should guard their votes from being whisked away.
He stressed that allowing any manner of rigging in the election would return the state into darkness.
The PDP also felicitated with the candidate of the party, Senator Ademola Adeleke on its official page in a message tagged ‘Breaking News! #OsunDecides2022’
The party said, “The Independent National Electoral Commission has declared the official Peoples Democratic Party Nigeria Guber Candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke as winner of the 2022 Governorship Election in Osun State. Adeleke defeated the All Progressives Congress (APC) Candidate, Adegboyega Oyetola with 403,371 votes. It’s a new dawn #ImoleDe.”
In a statement, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, had before the declaration, urged INEC and the APC to play by the rules guiding the election.
PDP said, “Our party charges the Independent National Electoral Commission and the APC leadership in Abuja to note that the course of the election is already known to all and that the people of Osun State will never accept any outcome to the contrary.
“We also congratulate all democratic institutions, stakeholders and all patriots who stood by the people to achieve this great shift.”
Also appreciating the victory of the PDP candidate, vice-presidential candidate of the party, SenatorIfeanyi Okowa, in a Tweet, congratulated the PDP, people of Osun and the winner of the governorship election.
“I congratulate the people of Osun State and my brother, Senator Ademola Adeleke, the @OfficialPDPNig candidate for a decisive victory at yesterday’s polls.
“This is why, as we prepare for the arduous task ahead, I pray that our party can sustain this drive into next year, as we work to elect AlhajiAtikuAbubakar as the next President of Nigeria. Congratulations to the people of Osun! Congratulations to my brother, Senator @AAdeleke_01! Congratulations to our great party, the PDP!”
In 2018, the APC candidate won the election by 255,505 votes to defeat the candidate of the PDP, who polled 255,023 votes, after an inconclusive election on September 22, and a rerun was conducted across seven polling stations in four LGAs on September 27, in which INEC declared the candidate of the APC as the governor-elect of the state.
Meanwhile, the Interior Minister, OgbeniRaufAregbesola, has deleted comments on his social media handles wherein he earlier reacted to the outcome of Saturday’s governorship election in his home state, Osun, stating that he never authorised the messages.
Media Adviser to the Minister, Sola Fasure, in a tweet on the minister’s verified Twitter handle, yesterday, said the messages have now been deleted.
“It has come to the attention of the media office of the Minister of Interior, OgbeniRaufAregbesola, that an unauthorised message was posted on his Verified Twitter & Facebook Pages at about 8:00am on Sunday, July 17, 2022.
“The unauthorised messages have now been deleted. Members of the public, especially the media, are advised to ignore!”,Fasure stated.
Waxing spiritual, Aregbesola had on his verified Facebook page, yesterday morning, said God gives power to whoever he wills.
The now deleted post read; “Osun Le Tente. This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. – (Daniel 4:17)”.
Expectedly, the post had generated several reactions with many praising him and others from his party, APC, knocking him for not supporting the incumbent, GovernorAdegboyegaOyetola.
In the lead up to the election, the Osun APC had engaged in a war of attrition, with Aregbesola controlling one faction and his successor, Oyetola controlling the other faction.
The situation was such that many APC members moved to the PDP.
Consequently, in Saturday’s election, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator AdemolaAdeleke was declared winner, having polled 403,371 to defeat Oyetola and the APC with 375,027 votes, while Lasun Yusuf of Labour Party (LP) polled 2,729