There was excitement in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Governor Ademola Adeleke the winner of the governorship election held on Saturday.
Similar celebrations took place in Ile-Ife and Ede on Sunday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that as soon as the final results were announced, supporters and residents filled the streets to celebrate the victory.
Supporters of the governor gathered at the INEC office early in the morning, around 5 a.m. They danced at the entrance of the commission shortly after the announcement.
Many supporters were seen riding motorcycles and driving around town, singing victory songs and celebrating the election results.
In Ile-Ife, residents also celebrated the governor’s victory and expressed happiness over the peaceful nature of Saturday's election.
Osun State Commissioner for Transportation, Olusesan Oyedele, spoke with NAN and thanked God for the peaceful election, noting there were no killings or damage to property in the state.
Mr. Oyedele described the election as free, fair, and credible. He praised INEC officials for conducting the election without bias and ensuring a transparent process across Osun State.
He also recognized the voters for their good behavior and urged them to stay law-abiding, emphasizing that peaceful participation is important for democracy and development in the state.
Busayo Arayela, a leader from the Accord Party, acknowledged God's grace for the peace in Osun State before and during the election. She expressed hope that this peace would continue.
Mrs. Arayela said party members were happy with how orderly the voters were during the election. She described this development as a positive sign for democracy.
She praised traditional rulers, especially Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, for promoting peace and encouraging residents to "give peace a chance."
The party leader thanked God for keeping the elections safe in Ife North, Ife East, Ife South, Ife Central, and other areas in Osun.
Mrs. Arayela called on residents and stakeholders to maintain peace in the state after the results were announced. She urged everyone to accept the outcome responsibly and peacefully.
She also advised Mr. Adeleke to continue his development programs in Osun, asking him not to let the people down but to ensure they enjoy the benefits of democracy.
The streets in Ede North and Ede South local government areas of Osun State erupted with joy on Sunday after INEC announced the results.
Residents, who talked with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the election process was mostly orderly and clear, despite some political violence reported.
Ede, where the governor is from, saw people dancing and celebrating after INEC declared Governor Ademola Adeleke the winner of Saturday’s governorship election.
Results
NAN reported that INEC declared Adeleke the winner early on Sunday morning after he received 511,067 votes, defeating 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. He noted that Najeem Salaam from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) came in third with 17,180 votes.
Ogunwole, who is also the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti, stated that the total valid votes cast were 985,079. There were 20,721 rejected votes, making the total votes cast 1,005,800.
NAN reported that Adeleke won in 19 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won in 11 LGAs.
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