Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has called for peace and unity across the state following his re-election, as the All Progressives Congress considers its legal options after losing Saturday’s governorship election.
Adeleke was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission after polling 511,067 votes to defeat the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who secured 444,815 votes.
The governor won in 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji claimed victory in the remaining 11 councils.
Following the declaration, Adeleke and his supporters celebrated the victory, which secured the governor another term in office.
The governor, however, appealed to residents and political actors to put the election behind them and work towards maintaining peace and unity in the state.
Meanwhile, the APC said it was studying the results from the 332 wards across Osun before deciding on its next course of action.
The party’s position leaves open the possibility of challenging the election result through the legal channels provided under Nigeria’s electoral laws.
In a statement signed by the Osun APC spokesperson, Kola Olabisi, the party said it was carefully examining the outcome of the election before taking a decision.
The party noted that the electoral process extends beyond the announcement of results, stressing that aggrieved parties have the opportunity to seek redress through the courts.
“We are not unaware of the fact that election is a process which begins at the registration of the voters through the primary election to the election proper which extends to the tribunal, the Appeal Court and terminates at the Supreme Court,” the statement said.
The APC’s position means the party has yet to concede the election, with its leadership expected to announce its decision after reviewing the results and available evidence.
