President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Gov. Ademola Adeleke on his victory in the just-concluded Osun governorship election, Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga disclosed on Sunday in Abuja.
Tinubu described Adeleke’s victory as a fitting assurance that democracy would continue to flourish in Nigeria under the All Progressives Congress his administration.
He said that he had earlier called Adeleke to congratulate him on his electoral victory and expressed confidence in his ability to lead the state for another four years.
“I called Governor Ademola Adeleke earlier today (Sunday) to congratulate him on his election victory in Osun State.
“His victory once again confirmed the confidence the people of Osun State have in him,” he said.
The president wished Adeleke success as he prepares to lead the state for another four years and urged him to unite the people of the state and mobilise them for growth, stability and socio-economic progress, irrespective of their political choices.
“Now that he has won, Governor Adeleke must unite the people of Osun State and rally them for growth, stability and social and economic progress, regardless of the political choices they made at the election,” he said.
The president commended other contestants for their courage and discipline, saying their participation enriched Nigeria’s democratic culture.
“I salute the courage and discipline displayed by other contestants in the election. Their participation deepened and enriched our country’s democratic culture.
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“The outcome of the election reflects the will of the people and is a fitting assurance that democracy will continue to flourish in our land,” Tinubu said.
He also commended Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies for conducting a peaceful and transparent election that produced a clear winner.
Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi has congratulated Gov. Ademola Adeleke on his re-election, describing this historic victory as a highly important democratic achievement for Nigeria.
Obi, in a statement on Sunday titled: “Osun: When the People Stand, Democracy Wins”, said that the people of Osun had “spoken with courage and exceptional clarity”.
He said that the victory reaffirmed that the power to choose leaders belongs to the people, adding: “The victory is a demonstration of the power of the people” all across Nigeria.
He also said that Adeleke’s renewed mandate reflected his commitment to the people, compassion for their needs, and the strength of his work and remarkable achievements in office during his tenure.
The NDC presidential candidate particularly commended the youths of Osun for what he described as their courageous and peaceful defence of their democratic mandate during the highly contested weekend governorship polls.
According to him, their vigilance and determination beautifully demonstrated that when citizens stand firmly to protect their votes, the forces of good can overcome the forces of darkness in any election.
Obi said that the lesson from Osun was that democracy is strongest when citizens are fully alert, conscious of their civic responsibilities and determined to ensure that their votes count always.
Looking forward directly ahead to the 2027 General Elections, Obi called on Nigerians to remain informed, participate actively, vote and most importantly, protect their votes across every single polling unit nationwide.
He said that Nigerians were the ones experiencing hunger, deprivation, insecurity and hardship and therefore tightly possessed the power, through their votes, to bring about the change needed to address challenges.
He also urged political actors to place the interests of the people above partisan considerations and embrace peace, unity and the rule of law across the entire Nigerian democratic political landscape.
Elections, he said, should absolutely not be battles of violence but contests of ideas, competence, character and service to the people who were desperately yearning for functional and progressive good governance.
Obi expressed hope that the Osun experience would strengthen Nigerians’ confidence in the democratic process and inspire citizens to remain extremely vigilant and committed to building a truly prosperous, people-centred nation.
NAN
