By Our Correspondent

Former Governor of Abia State and Senator representing Abia North Senatorial District, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has congratulated Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, on his re-election, describing the outcome as a reflection of democracy and a potential boost to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s prospects ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Kalu, in a statement issued by his media office on Sunday, said the outcome of the Osun governorship election should not be interpreted as a setback for President Tinubu or the All Progressives Congress (APC), stressing that the President’s political future in the state remains “very bright.”

He said the outcome would provide an opportunity for the APC to reassess its strategies, strengthen its grassroots structures and deepen engagement with stakeholders ahead of the 2027 elections.

“I join President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in congratulating Governor Ademola Adeleke on his re-election as the Governor of Osun State. I also sympathise with the APC leadership, our party’s governorship candidate and all our supporters over the outcome of the election,” Kalu said.

The former Abia governor also commended the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy and former Osun State Governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, for his contributions to the development of the state, while urging party members to remain united and focused.

According to him, the election demonstrated the strength of Nigeria’s democratic process and the need for political actors to respect the will of the electorate.

“What happened in Osun is democracy in play. Elections are about the choice of the people, and as a party, we should be able to come back stronger,” he said.

Kalu maintained that President Tinubu remains capable of securing broad-based support in Osun State in 2027, noting that political alliances and support for the President could extend beyond the APC to stakeholders and members of other political parties, including the Accord Party.

“The future of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Osun State is very bright. The outcome of this election is not a setback for Mr. President. Rather, it gives us another opportunity to strengthen our relationship with the people and work together for the success of Nigeria,” Kalu said.

He urged APC leaders and supporters not to be discouraged by the election result but to use it as a learning experience ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Meanwhile, Governor Adeleke was declared winner of the August 15 Osun State governorship election after polling 511,067 votes to defeat his closest challenger, the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who secured 444,815 votes.

The candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Najeem Salaam, came third with 17,180 votes.

Adeleke won in 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won 11 LGAs.

The State Returning Officer, Prof. Joshua Olalekan Ogunwole, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, declared Adeleke the winner at about 7:24 a.m. on Sunday.

The Returning Officer announced that 1,010,684 voters were accredited, with 1,005,800 total votes cast, 985,079 valid votes and 20,721 rejected votes.

Declaring the result, Ogunwole said: “That Ademola Nurudeen-Jackson Adeleke, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner of the August 15 governorship election and returned elected.”

Kalu urged all stakeholders to accept the outcome and focus on strengthening Nigeria’s democracy, while calling on political leaders to continue working for national unity and development.

He expressed optimism that with renewed engagement and strategic mobilisation, the APC and President Tinubu could secure stronger support in Osun State and across the country ahead of 2027.

By Our Correspondent

As Osun Voters await the outcome of August 15, governorship election,the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Election Observation Hub (EU-SDGN EOH) has recorded 323 cases of electoral offences and irregularities in 726 polling units observed across Osun State as voting continued in Saturday’s governorship election.

The Hub, comprising the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), International Press Centre (IPC), Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF), TAF Africa, The Kukah Centre (TKC) and Yiaga Africa, also reported 38 security incidents as of 12 noon.

Addressing newsmen at the end of voting in Osogbo, on Saturday, the Executive Director, International Press Center, Lanre Arogundafe, said its 823 accredited observers were deployed across the 30 local government areas of the state to monitor the election.

He added that the reported electoral offences and irregularities included 103 cases of vote trading, 12 cases of multiple voting, 28 cases involving inducement of polling and security officials, 38 cases of campaigning at polling units and 14 cases of voter impersonation.

He said, “As at 12 noon, the Hub’s observers have recorded 38 security incidents with 25 reported cases of thuggery, 12 attacks on electoral officials and 9 cases of voter intimidation by security personnel.

“Furthermore, of the 726 polling units observed, there were reported 323 cases of electoral offences and irregularities including vote trading (103), multiple voting (12), inducement of polling and security officials (28), campaigning at PUs (38), voter impersonation (14), misconduct by election officials (7), obstruction of voters (31) and exposure of ballot papers (85).”

He added that, “The election environment has been generally conducive for journalists and observers, with no major incident reported as at the time of this report relating to impeded access to polling units.

“The hub’s fact checkers were able to detect and fact-check about eleven false claims relating to alleged payment of INEC officials, arrests by the police, underage voting, among others, as at the time of this report. The outcomes were all amplified, but other claims relating to shooting and disruption of voting are being fact-checked.”

By Our Correspondent

Barely few hours after the commencement of voting in in most polling units in osogbo metropolitan city violence erupted at the poling unit of the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Najeem Salaam, as all Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), materials were destroyed by electorates.

The violence which occurred shortly after Salam casted his vote at unit 13 ward 4 in Ejigbo local government area, electorate running for safety.

Earlier before the violence, Salaam while addressing journalists raised concerns over the alleged non-recognition of his party’s agents at several polling units across Osun State during Saturday’s governorship election.

He described the incident as “worrisome and disturbing,” saying the names of the party’s agents had been uploaded onto the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) platform.

He alleged that ADC agents in Ward 5, Ejigbo, were not issued tags despite the party having submitted their names, adding that a similar situation was reported in about 10 local government areas across the state.

Salaam said he might address the press again at the end of the election to give an update on the matter.

According to him, the matter had been reported to the relevant authorities, who he said were looking into it.

“The report that my agents are not being recognised at most of the wards across the state is worrisome and disturbing.

Despite the fact that we uploaded all the names of our party agents, especially here in Ejigbo, the agents in Ward 5 for the ADC were not given tags. The same thing happened in about 10 local governments across the state.

“I reported the matter to the relevant authorities, and they are looking into it. When the votes are being counted, it is necessary for my agents to be recognised at the polling units.

“Apart from that, in Ejigbo Local Government, the process has been going on without any crisis for now. I want to believe it will remain peaceful until the end of the exercise.

“As it stands, we cannot accept a situation where our party agents are not recognised. The importance of having party agents at the polling units cannot be oversee.

“All the names were uploaded onto the INEC platform, so I don’t understand why we are now being denied the opportunity to have our party agents present.

“Maybe towards the end of the election process, I will still address the press and let the people know how far we have gone with the matter.

“What I’m saying is part of the preparation on the side of INEC. When you requested that the parties upload the names of their agents, we did so. I don’t understand how or why the party agents would not be given tags.

“If there is a fair election, with no rigging or manipulation, and there is a level playing field, I trust my God that I’m going to win the election.

“We engage with the people and let them know about our programmes. That is exactly what we do. Vote-buying is out of it. I have never in my life bought votes.

“People should decide whom they want, and I think it should be fair enough for them to have the right to choose whom they prefer as a candidate or as the governor of the state.