Adeleke in tears of joy, dedicates victory to the suffering masses of Osun

• Buhari: Osun people have made their choice, it should be respected • Those who insulted Ige's memory served rightly, says Soyinka• Atiku, Saraki, Ayu congratulate Adeleke, rally leaders of PDP to dislodge APC from Aso Rock • Oyetola: My party is studying election results • Olanrewaju wants Lagos natives to emulate Osun and seize power • Poll result will not deter Tinubu from becoming president, says a group of young people

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke, yesterday savored the sweet taste of victory after being declared the winner of the Osun State gubernatorial election garnering 403,371 votes to defeat incumbent governor and All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate Gboyega Oyetola, who scored 375,027.

It was a tense race as the two leading candidates had also faced each other in the 2018 gubernatorial election, which was narrowly won by Oyetola, 255,505 to 255,023 votes, albeit in contests. controversial circumstances.

In 2018, Adeleke led Oyetola in the election with 353 votes before it was declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which also ordered a re-poll at seven polling stations. After the extra votes, characterized by heavily militarized security personnel and armed thugs who disenfranchised many voters, Oyetola overtook Adeleke's lead to finish the contest with a margin of 482 votes.

The table, however, turned on Saturday to deny Governor Oyetola a second term and serve as a relief to Adeleke, who sees his victory as vindication that he was the first winner of the 2018 election.< /p >

Declaring the PDP candidate the winner of the hotly contested election, INEC Returning Officer and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, said "Adeleke has met all the conditions required and is hereby elected", beating Governor in 17 local councils while APC won in 13.

Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and Labor Party (LP) candidate Lasun Yussuf won 2,729 votes, behind Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi of the Accord Party, who won 4,515 votes .

Residents of Osogbo, the state capital, and Ede, Adeleke's hometown, gathered on main roads to celebrate the victory of the PDP candidate, who left the Adeleke family , especially the popular musician Davido, in tears of joy.< /p>

Seemingly overwhelmed with joy, Adeleke shed tears as she lay down at the feet of her business magnate brother, Deji. In attendance were former Senate President Bukola Saraki; Governor of Bayelsa State, Duoye Diri; Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki and PDP Vice Presidential Candidate and Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa.

The victory came despite criticism for stealing an all-denominational ticket after the governor-elect chose a Christian as his candidate for deputy governor, Kola Adewusi.

In his reaction, PDP agent and member of the House of Representatives, Bamidele Salam, described the result as the wish of the people, adding that "it is not about an individual or a political party, it is about the fate of the state. On November 27, 2022, we want a smooth transition from the APC to the PDP."

Also speaking, a member of the Senate, Senator Francis Fadahunsi, called the victory a liberation of the poor masses of Osun. the election of governors, indicating that their decision must be respected.

President Buhari, while congratulating the Governor-elect, in a statement by Special Advisor on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, expressed his belief that the people have expressed their will through the ballot and that this must always count in a democracy.

He noted that the smooth running of the election is further testimony to the maturity and commitment of all stakeholders - the electoral body, security agencies, political parties, media, civil society and the electorate - to further strengthen the integrity of the election. electoral process in the country.

Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka described the defeat of the APC in a statement as "the voice of Bola Ige resounding from beyond the grave".

Last April, Soyinka disapproved of Iyiola Omisore's emergence as the ruling party's national secretary, adding that his position in the APC puts an end to any further investigation into Ige's murder, a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

Omisore, a prime suspect in Ige's 2001 murder, ran for governor of Osun state in 2018 before joining the APC. In yesterday's statement, Soyinka said: "Those who conspired to propel Ige's destroyers to undeserved national notoriety, to insult the memory of the living and...