— Says no victor, no vanquished; President called to congratulate me

By Dayo Johnson, Osogbo

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has dedicated his re-election victory to the people of the state, describing the outcome of Saturday’s governorship election as a “victory for democracy.”

Speaking after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared him winner of the election, Adeleke called on all contestants to accept the outcome, stressing that there should be “no victor, no vanquished”.

He also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as his role in ensuring a peaceful election in the state.

“I want to seize this opportunity to thank Mr President. Mr President has called me and he has congratulated me. Thank you, Mr President, for making sure democracy lives on, because you fought for it,” Adeleke said.

The governor urged other contestants to accept the outcome of the election and congratulate the people of Osun State for their peaceful conduct.

Adeleke, who secured a second term after defeating the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Oyebamiji, said his victory reflected the confidence the people had in his administration.

He said the electorate had rewarded his administration for its achievements in agriculture, infrastructure and education, among other sectors.

“I feel great. First of all, I thank God Almighty for what has happened. It’s a victory for democracy in Nigeria and a victory for the people of Osun State that stood by me.

“They said, ‘Imole, you have done a lot for us’ in terms of agriculture, infrastructure, improving our education and so forth. This is Osun people saying thank you,” he said.

On his agenda for his second term, Adeleke said his administration would focus on transforming Osun from a civil service-dependent state into an industrial hub, with development spread across the state.

“This administration remains committed to building an industrialised Osun State where development reaches every part of the state,” he said.