Senate Leader and Chairman of the National Assembly South-West Caucus, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), has urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the Osun State election, Bola Oyebamiji, to congratulate Governor Ademola Adeleke on his re-election and offer constructive policy ideas to strengthen governance in the state.
Bamidele, who congratulated Adeleke on his victory, said the election reaffirmed the supremacy of the electorate in a democracy and placed a responsibility on the governor to pursue inclusive governance.
He said the APC’s defeat did not make the party a loser, stressing that it remained a key stakeholder in the development and future of Osun State.
Bamidele stated this in a statement he personally signed on Monday while reviewing the outcome of Saturday’s governorship election.
According to him, Adeleke polled 511,067 votes to defeat Oyebamiji, who secured 444,815 votes, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Najeem Salam, came third with 17,180 votes.
He said the reported 51.57 per cent voter turnout reflected growing confidence in the electoral process and Nigerians’ willingness to participate in choosing their leaders.
“The summary of the entire process, again, perfectly reminds us where the final power actually lies in democracy.
“As shown in the recent elections across the federation, the final decision lies with the people, the true and ultimate arbiter of every democracy.
“Now that the people of Osun State have spoken, all contestants must accept and respect the decision of the majority,” he said.
Bamidele urged Adeleke to use his renewed mandate to unite the people of Osun State across political divides and pursue policies that promote peace, stability and development.
He stressed that governance should transcend partisan interests and accommodate all sections of society.
“To drive a truly inclusive governance, Governor Adeleke must look beyond the political platform that nominated him for the contest and extend his hands 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,” he said.
He also called on other candidates to accept the election outcome and support efforts to promote inclusive governance.
Specifically, Bamidele urged Oyebamiji to reach out to Adeleke, congratulate him on his victory and share ideas that could strengthen his administration.
“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,” he said.
The Senate Leader said the election should not be viewed solely in terms of party victory or defeat, arguing that the development of Osun State should remain the priority of all political actors.
He also commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conducting the election, saying the outcome offered useful lessons for political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Bamidele urged the APC to review and strengthen its campaign strategy while deepening engagement with stakeholders across the South-West.
He called for broader engagement with artisans, traders, farmers, entrepreneurs, youths, women, labour unions, civil society organisations, community leaders, traditional rulers, business leaders, private-sector operators and the elderly.
“Our engagement approach, more than any time in our recent history, must be all-encompassing, and it must not leave any person or interest behind,” he said.
According to him, the Osun election also provided an opportunity for the APC to improve its grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections, including efforts to secure greater support for President Bola Tinubu across the South-West.
He urged the party to apply the lessons from the election to strengthen its grassroots structures and improve communication with voters.
Bamidele further called on APC members to effectively communicate what he described as the achievements of the Tinubu administration in areas including economic reforms, security, democratic governance and national development.
