Osun poll: Senate leader urges APC candidate to congratulate Adeleke

Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele has called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Osun State, Bola Oyebamiji, to congratulate Governor Ademola Adeleke following his re-election. Bamidele urged Oyebamiji to offer constructive policy ideas to support Adeleke's administration, emphasizing the importance of unity and inclusive governance.

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In Osun, the decision of the majority does not only confirm the re-election of Governor Adeleke. It equally places the burden of victory on the elected candidate. This burden requires him to come up with clearly defined post-election measures that will effectively first reunite the state’s indigenes and residents across all the political divides.

In a statement released in Abuja, Bamidele highlighted that Adeleke's victory, secured with 511,067 votes against Oyebamiji's 444,815, demonstrates the electorate's power in a democracy. He stressed that the governor now bears the responsibility to unite the state, moving beyond partisan considerations.

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To drive a truly inclusive governance, Governor Adeleke must look beyond the political platform that nominated him for the contest and extend his hand of fellowship to other candidates and political parties with a view to building a resilient state that functions in the interests of all people regardless of their leanings.

"The burden of victory requires him to come up with clearly defined post-election measures that will effectively first reunite the state’s indigenes and residents across all the political divides," Bamidele stated. He advised Adeleke to extend a hand of fellowship to his opponents and other political parties for the state's benefit.

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On this premise, I strongly encourage the candidate of our great party, Mr Bola Oyebamiji, to contact Governor Adeleke; congratulate him on his re-election and constructively share with him innovative policy ideas that can help him serve the interests of our people much better.

Bamidele specifically appealed to Oyebamiji to reach out to Adeleke, congratulate him, and share innovative policy ideas. He argued that the APC should not view the outcome as a complete loss, given Adeleke's past association with the APC and his alleged support for President Bola Tinubu's re-election.

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For me, the APC did not lose the election given the background that Governor Adeleke was coming from as a member of the APC before he defected to the Peoples Democratic Party. Besides, he has always been committed to the re-election of President Bola Tinubu.