Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, says he has forgiven everyone that offended him during the governorship election campaign.

Governor Adeleke spoke when he received the Certificate of Return at the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, state office in Osogbo on Wednesday.

Adeleke said, “All the people that offended me, I have forgiven them. The good Lord has fought my battle and I have overcome.”

He also appealed to his fellow contestants to join hands with him to move Osun State forward.

The governor also promised scholarships for the children of those who lost their lives during the electoral process.

The governor appreciated INEC and declared himself the governor of all.

The Certificate of Return was presented to Adeleke following his victory in the August 15 governorship election.

Meanwhile, the Osun INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Oluwatoyin Babalola, described the presentation as a solemn constitutional milestone in Nigeria’s electoral process.

Babalola said election remains the most visible expression of a democratic government.

“The significance of the occasion carried greater meaning for the people of Osun State. The governorship election was a successful democratic exercise in which all stakeholders played important roles,” Babalola added.

She commended the security agencies for their coordination and efforts in providing what she described as a free atmosphere for citizens to exercise their franchise.

The REC also praised the media for its role in countering fake news, misinformation and disinformation during the electoral process. She equally commended traditional rulers and community leaders for their contributions.

Babalola praised the people of Osun State for their interest in making their votes count, as well as INEC staff for their professionalism and resilience throughout the electoral process.

She disclosed that the election recorded a 43.2 per cent voter turnout, describing the figure as a testament to the participation of the people of the state in the democratic process.

“The presentation of the Certificate of Return means that democracy has come to stay in our country,” Babalola said.

She congratulated Governor Adeleke and his deputy and urged them to continue serving the people.

Speaking at the ceremony, Prof. Kunle Ajayi, the INEC National Commissioner for the South-West, described the occasion as a significant day for democracy in Osun State and Nigeria, congratulating Adeleke on his victory at the poll.

Ajayi said the people of Osun State had refused to surrender their democratic rights to fear and intimidation. He stressed that INEC remained committed to conducting free, fair and conclusive elections.

He also called on political parties to invest more in educating their agents on electoral procedures.

The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has condemned alleged attacks on its members and supporters in Iree, Boripe Local Government Area, following the declaration of Governor Ademola Adeleke as winner of the August 15 governorship election.

The party, in a statement signed by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, on Wednesday, alleged that suspected members of the Accord attacked APC supporters in the community.

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Former presidential media aide, Bashir Ahmad has suggested that a chieftain of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC, Aisha Yesufu may have been demoralised following her inability to secure the party’s ticket to contest for the FCT Senate in 2027.

Bashir’s Reaction followed a comment by Aisha, who said she will not be accompanying the NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi during the 2027 campaign tour.

She said, “Yes, I will still campaign with Peter Obi when necessary, but you might not see me travelling around with him as much as possible.”

Reacting, Bashir, an All Progressives Congress, APC chieftain said Aisha Yesufu has the right to be demoralised, stating that the NDC presidential candidate failed to “stand up for her to secure the senatorial ticket.”

In a post on his official X handle, Bashir wrote, “Aisha Yusuf has every reason to feel demoralised and she has announced that she will not be campaigning for Peter Obi state by state as she did in 2023.

“It is a well known fact that Mr Peter, her principal, could not stand up for her to secure the senatorial ticket, despite the fact that she has consistently stood by him since joining his team.

“When it mattered most, he appears to have chosen to protect his own presidential ticket rather than stand up for someone who had stood up for him. In politics, loyalty should be reciprocal.

“Something his deputy, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, would never do. In Kano, he went as far as ensuring that his own son secured the deputy governorship ticket. That is what standing by your people looks like.”