Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has commended President Bola Tinubu for what he described as a fair and democratic approach to the August 15 governorship election in the state.
Adeleke said Tinubu’s conduct during the election demonstrated his commitment to democracy and helped ensure that the poll was conducted freely and fairly.
The governor made the remarks on Thursday after visiting Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where he thanked the President for allowing the electoral process in Osun to take its course without undue interference.
According to Adeleke, the President could have used his influence to affect the outcome of the election but instead allowed the people of Osun State to exercise their constitutional right to choose their governor.
“He played fair because he fought for democracy,” Adeleke said, according to reports of his remarks.
The governor’s comments came days after he secured re-election in the Osun governorship poll held on August 15.
Adeleke, who contested on the platform of the Accord Party, polled 511,067 votes to defeat the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Oyebamiji, who secured 444,815 votes, according to the declared results.
The election was closely watched because of the political significance of Osun and the involvement of senior figures from both the APC and opposition camps.
Before the election, Adeleke had repeatedly urged the Federal Government to ensure a level playing field, warning against any attempt to manipulate the process. He had also invoked memories of the controversial 1983 political crisis in the state while calling for a peaceful and credible election.
Following the election, however, Adeleke shifted his tone towards Tinubu, praising the President for what he regarded as non-interference in the electoral process.
The President’s role in the election has also attracted praise from other political figures. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, has commended Tinubu for what he described as non-interference in the Osun election.
Adeleke’s meeting with Tinubu also comes amid continuing political discussions over the outcome of the election and competing claims concerning campaign spending, political influence and the role of federal authorities.
The governor’s latest comments are expected to further fuel debate over the conduct of the election and the relationship between the Federal Government and state-level electoral contests ahead of the 2027 general elections.
