Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has congratulated Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke on his re-election, saying the outcome of the governorship poll reflected the choice of the people.
Makinde, in a message shared on his verified X account on Sunday, described Adeleke as his brother and acknowledged the challenges that preceded the governor’s victory.
The Oyo governor said, “Hearty congratulations to my brother, His Excellency Ademola Adeleke, on his re-election as Governor of Osun State.”
He added, “It has indeed been a long and arduous journey, but we are delighted that the will of the good people of Osun State prevailed in the end.”
The message followed the declaration of Adeleke as the winner of Saturday’s governorship election by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Adeleke, who contested under the Accord Party after leaving the Peoples Democratic Party, secured 511,067 votes, defeating the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes.
The governor won in 19 of Osun’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji secured 11.
The result gave Adeleke a second term in office and also marked Accord’s first victory in a governorship election in the state.
Adeleke’s defection from the PDP was followed by a wave of political realignments, including the movement of 25 members of the Osun State House of Assembly and six members of the House of Representatives from the PDP to Accord.
Makinde, a prominent figure in the opposition political camp, has maintained a close political relationship with Adeleke.
His congratulatory message comes amid a series of reactions from political leaders following the election, with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and former Senate President Bukola Saraki also acknowledging Adeleke’s victory.
Makinde’s statement, however, focused on the electorate, stressing that despite the difficult political contest, the decision of Osun voters ultimately prevailed.
