All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate in the Aug. 15 Osun election, Bola Oyebamiji, has appealed to his supporters to remain calm and peaceful as the party reviews the outcome of the poll.
Oyebamiji made the appeal after meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where he said the president emphasized the importance of maintaining peace during and after elections.
According to him, Tinubu stressed that governance was ultimately about improving the welfare of the people and that political disagreements should not be allowed to undermine peace in the state.
Oyebamiji said the president urged political actors and their supporters to approach elections with a peaceful mindset and put the interests of the people first.
“President Tinubu said it is important to run every election with a peaceful mind. It’s important for us to know that government is about people,” he said.
“And because it’s about people, it’s important that we need to be peaceful. I want to appeal to our people in Osun that they need to be peaceful.”
The APC candidate disclosed that the party had not yet taken a final position on the election, saying its leadership was still examining the results and relevant documents from the exercise. He explained that the party would make its position known after completing a detailed assessment of the poll.
“For now, the APC is still examining the polls, and by the time we study our sheets, we’ll be able to get back to the public about the decision we want to take,” Oyebamiji said.
He urged supporters to remain calm while the review was ongoing, stressing that any decision by the party would be communicated to the public after the process was concluded.
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“But the take-home is that they should be calm. They should remain peaceful while the party completes its review,” he added.
Oyebamiji also appealed to Governor Ademola Adeleke to caution his supporters against actions that could lead to violence or heighten tensions across the state.
“I want to advise the governor, too, to talk to his people. Violence is against our people. It’s not too good, and he needs to address them,” he said.
“He needs to talk to them so that each and every one of us can be on the same page and ensure peace across Osun.”
The APC candidate further alleged that some of his supporters were attacked following the election, saying the incidents had been reported to the relevant security authorities. He specifically claimed that about four or five people were attacked in his hometown of Ikire after the election.
“Even in my own village, Ikire, some people were attacked. About four or five people were attacked, and they have informed the security agencies accordingly,” he said.
Oyebamiji’s call for calm comes amid political tensions following the Osun governorship election, as the APC continues to assess the results and determine its next course of action.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Oyebamiji’s visit to the Presidential Villa came a day after Governor Adeleke also met with President Tinubu.
Adeleke had visited the president to thank him for what he described as the Federal Government’s role in ensuring a free and fair election.
The separate visits by the two major political actors in the state came as attention remained focused on the post-election atmosphere and the need to maintain peace across Osun.
Oyebamiji reiterated that his immediate appeal was for supporters and residents to avoid actions that could worsen tensions while the APC completes its review of the election results.
NAN
