“We believe that the interest that the off-cycle ballot generated again confirms the resilience of Nigerian democracy.”

The Forum further acknowledged the incredibly important role that opposition parties also play in shaping Nigeria’s democracy and commended all the candidates for their efforts.

The NGF also commended the security agencies for curtailing the initial trend of violence in the days leading to the election and creating a secure condition for the exercise to proceed without many incidents.

“Finally, we acknowledge the statesmanlike role that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has played as he carefully balanced his position as the leader of the ruling party on the one hand and the father of the nation on the other.

“We are confident that HE Ademola Adeleke will continue to build on the successes of his first term in the overall interest of the people of Osun State,” the forum added.

According to the council, Adeleke’s support for Tinubu is based on the President’s performance and reforms, rather than a pre-arranged political deal.

The council was responding to Keyamo, who, while congratulating Adeleke on his re-election, said, “Agreement is agreement.”

The minister’s statement has drawn mixed reactions from various quarters with some interpreting it as evidence of a private pact between the governor and the President.

The council said the comment should not undermine the choice made by Osun voters in the August 15 governorship election.

“Do not undermine the resilience of Osun people. There is no agreement.

“Our support for Tinubu is based on his performance and reforms that have strengthened states economically,” Adeleke’s camp said.

The ADC also praised opposition parties and their supporters for working together to defeat what it called the APC tyranny.

The party said the election showed that voters could still resist pressure and choose their preferred candidate through the ballot box.

“The people of Osun have shown Nigerians that no political machine is greater than a determined electorate,” the statement said.

The ADC claimed that more than 30 state governors, the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, lawmakers and other senior government officials were mobilised to Osun to support the APC during the election.

It said the heavy security presence and alleged incidents of violence, arrests and intimidation did not stop voters from turning out.

“The lesson is unmistakable: no deployment is large enough to defeat a people who have lost their fear,” the party said.

While celebrating Adeleke’s victory, the ADC raised concerns over the suspension of result uploads on the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).

The party alleged that its intelligence report showed that INEC was directed at about 8 pm on Saturday to stop uploading results because it had become clear that the APC was losing.

The ADC said the interruption lasted nearly four hours and demanded a full explanation from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“INEC must tell Nigerians precisely what happened,” the party said.

The ADC further alleged that there may have been an attempt to interfere with the election results and make the process inconclusive. It said the situation was only prevented from escalating because of warnings raised by Adeleke, election monitors and observers.

The party said the incident should not be ignored because it could indicate what Nigerians might face during the 2027 general elections.

According to the ADC, the APC may try to present its defeat in Osun as proof of its commitment to democracy, but the party described such a move as damage control.

The ADC said the election had shown that government power could not determine how people voted.

“If Osun has taught us anything this weekend, it is this: A government may deploy power everywhere, but it cannot deploy it inside the ballot booth,” the statement said.