Oyebamiji and Adeleke
Senate Leader and Chairman of the National Assembly South-West Caucus, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), has urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the Osun State election, Bola Oyebamiji, to congratulate Governor Ademola Adeleke on his re-election and offer constructive policy ideas to improve governance in the state.
Bamidele, who congratulated Adeleke on his victory, said the outcome of the election reaffirmed the supremacy of the electorate in a democracy and imposed a responsibility on the governor-elect to pursue inclusive governance.
He also said the defeat of the APC candidate did not make the party a loser, but rather a stakeholder in the development and future of Osun State.
The Senate Leader stated this in a statement he personally signed on Monday while reviewing the outcome of Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
According to him, Adeleke polled 511,067 votes to defeat Oyebamiji, who secured 444,815 votes, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Najeem Salam, came third with 17,180 votes.
He said the reported 51.57 per cent voter turnout reflected growing confidence among Nigerians in the electoral process and the opportunity to participate in choosing their leaders.
Bamidele said the outcome of the election had once again demonstrated that the ultimate power in a democracy rested with the electorate.
He said the entire electoral process had reinforced the principle that the final power in a democracy lies with the people, who remain the ultimate arbiters of every democratic process.
He urged all contestants to accept and respect the decision of the majority following the outcome of the Osun election.
He urged Adeleke to use his renewed mandate to reunite the people of the state across political divides and pursue policies capable of promoting peace, stability and development.
According to him, governance must go beyond partisan considerations and accommodate all sections of society.
Bamidele said Adeleke should look beyond the political platform that nominated him and extend his hand of fellowship to other candidates and political parties to build a resilient state that works in the interests of all residents, regardless of their political leanings.
Bamidele also called on other candidates in the election to accept the outcome and support efforts aimed at promoting inclusive governance in the state.
He specifically urged Oyebamiji to reach out to Adeleke, congratulate him and contribute ideas that could strengthen the administration.
The Senate Leader encouraged Oyebamiji to contact Adeleke, congratulate him on his re-election and constructively share innovative policy ideas that could help the governor serve the interests of the people better.
The Senate Leader argued that the election should not be viewed strictly through the prism of party victory or defeat, stressing that the development of Osun State should remain the priority of all political actors.
He also congratulated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the conduct of the election, saying its outcome should provide useful lessons for political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Bamidele said the result should prompt the APC to review and strengthen its campaign strategy and deepen engagement with stakeholders across the South-West.
He urged the party to broaden its engagement with artisans, traders, farmers, entrepreneurs, youths, women, labour unions, civil society organisations, community leaders, traditional rulers, business leaders, the private sector and the elderly.
He said the APC’s engagement approach must be all-encompassing and ensure that no person or interest was left behind.
He said the Osun election also offered opportunities for the APC to improve its mobilisation efforts ahead of the 2027 elections, including its plan to secure increased support for President Bola Tinubu across the South-West.
Bamidele said the party should use the lessons from the election to strengthen its grassroots structure and communicate more effectively with voters.
He further urged APC members to highlight what he described as the achievements of the Tinubu administration in areas including economic reforms, security, democratic governance and national development.
The Senate Leader congratulated Adeleke on his re-election, saying the renewed mandate came with a responsibility to deliver greater dividends of democracy to the people.
Bamidele said Adeleke’s re-election reaffirmed the supremacy of the people in democracy and came with a huge responsibility that required a collective approach.
He said the APC and its candidate had competed with courage, ideas and vigour, but the people decided otherwise, adding that the outcome did not make the party a loser but a stakeholder in the progress and future of Osun State.
Bamidele expressed optimism that the election would usher in a new phase of development in Osun State and congratulated the people of the state on the conclusion of the electoral process.
