[UPDATED] Adeleke Receives Certificate of Return, Dedicates Victory to Osun People

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has received his Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following his victory in the August 15, 2026 governorship election.

Adeleke received the certificate at the INEC office in Osogbo on Wednesday and dedicated it to the people of Osun State.

The governor, who danced amid cheers and jubilation from Accord Party members and supporters, said he had forgiven those who might have offended him during the election and bore no grudge against his political opponents.

“God has fought my battles for me, and so I hold unto God throughout the duration of the political war and now that I have been re-elected,” Adeleke said.

He described the presentation of the certificate as a moment of gratitude to the people of Osun for their commitment to democracy.

“This certificate does not belong to Ademola Adeleke alone. It belongs to the people of Osun State, the market men and women, workers, youths, traditional and religious leaders, and every citizen who demonstrates that our democracy cannot be intimidated, purchased or suppressed,” he said.

₦500m Endowment Fund

Adeleke also announced a ₦500 million Election Violence Victims Endowment Fund to provide relief and support to verified victims and families affected by electoral violence.

He said a Verification and Relief Committee, chaired by the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Olumide Egbedun, would oversee the identification and assessment of victims and the distribution of relief.

“This is not a political fund. It is a humanitarian intervention. No eligible victim will be discriminated against on the basis of political affiliation, religion, ethnicity, gender or social status,” the governor said.

Adeleke also announced that the Adeleke family, through the Springtime Development Foundation, would provide automatic scholarships up to university level for the children and dependants of people who lost their lives during the election-related violence.

He commiserated with the families of the deceased and injured, naming Ezekiel Olapade, Aderogba Ajayi, Remi Abass and Kolade Eluyera among those who lost their lives or were affected by the violence.

“To their families, I say: your pain has not been forgotten, and your loved ones will never be reduced to statistics,” he said.

The governor commended INEC and security agencies for their roles in the election, while noting that he would have preferred the police to do more to prevent violence.

“I commend the electoral commission for doing a good job. You stood for democracy. I commend the security agencies, especially the Commissioner of Police for the election; the DSS. I would have loved the police to do more, but we thank God the election day went violence-free,” Adeleke said.

Labour Movement Backs Adeleke

The Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Osun State chapter, Christopher Arapasopo, congratulated Adeleke on his re-election and said Osun workers would continue to support Accord candidates in future legislative elections.

“We defied attacks and intimidation to support the re-election of Governor Adeleke. We will never bow to those who want to enslave us. We will still vote for Accord in future legislative elections,” Arapasopo said.

Adeleke later visited the Ataoja Palace in Osogbo, where he was welcomed by a crowd of residents. He also visited the Timi of Ede and Senator Oluwole Alabi to present his Certificate of Return and seek their royal blessings.

Earlier, INEC National Commissioner for the Osun election, Kunle Ajayi, commended voters in the state for their participation despite reports of electoral violence.

“Osun people are the heroes of the Saturday election. Active citizenry always makes a difference in the conduct of credible elections. Osun people proved to the world that democracy can work when the people are involved,” Ajayi said in a statement issued by Adeleke’s media aide, Olawale Rasheed.