INEC hands over return certificate to Adeleke and deputy for new term

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday gave the Certificate of Return to Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State. This confirms his re-election for another four years.

Kunle Ajayi, INEC's National Commissioner supervising Osun State, presented the certificate to Adeleke and his deputy, Kola Adewusi, at the commission's office in Osogbo, the state capital.

In his acceptance speech, Adeleke thanked INEC and security agencies for their role in the successful governorship election held on Saturday. He also expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for supporting democracy and wished him well for the 2027 general elections.

The governor invited his opponents from the election to join him in developing the state. He said, "Osun is bigger than anyone." Adeleke remembered those who lost their lives during the election and promised scholarships for their children.

He also mentioned that he had forgiven everyone who wronged him during the election period. He urged his supporters to forgive any past grievances.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that party members and supporters were present for the certificate presentation. On Sunday morning, INEC declared Adeleke the winner of the election after he received 511,067 votes.

He defeated his closest rival, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who got 444,815 votes. The INEC Returning Officer, Joshua Ogunwole, a professor, announced the results at the INEC collation center.

Ogunwole, also the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti, said the candidate from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Najeem Salaam, came third with 17,180 votes. He confirmed that the total valid votes cast were 985,079.

There were 20,721 rejected votes, making the total number of votes cast 1,005,800.