The Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has congratulated Osun State Governor-elect, Ademola Adeleke, on his victory at Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
The PUNCH reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission declared Adeleke, who is the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, as the winner of the Osun governorship election.
The Returning Officer for the election and Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, announced that Adeleke got a total of 403,371 votes beating the incumbent, Adegboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress, who got 375,027 votes in a keenly contested race.
He said, “I declare Adeleke Ademola Jackson Nurudeen, on behalf of the chairman of INEC, of the PDP, having satisfied the requirement of the law, is hereby declared the winner and he is returned elected.”
According to the total votes recorded by the electoral umpire, the PDP won 17 of the 30 Local Government Areas of the state, while the APC won the remaining 13.
The PDP won in Ede North, Ede South, Ifelodun, Boluwaduro, Egbedore, Odo Otin, Osogbo, Ila, Atakumosa West, Olorunda, Ilesa West, Obokun, Oriade, Orolu, Ife North, Irepodun, and Ejigbo LGAs.
While the APC won in Boripe, Ilesa East, Ayedire, Ifedayo, Ife Central, Ayedaade, Iwo, Olaoluwa, Isokan, Atakumosa East, Irewole, Ife South, and Ife East LGAs.
But reacting to Adeleke’s victory in a statement on Sunday night, Obi, who is a former Anambra State governor, congratulated the LP governorship candidate in the state, Lasun Yusuff, on his “resolve”.
He said, “I congratulate the Labour party candidate, Rt. Hon Lasun Sulaimon Yusuff and his running mate, Adeola Adekunle Atanda, for a hard-fought battle and their spirit of resolve and sportsmanship, despite the outcome.”
Justifying the party’s performance, obi said, “To the Obidient Movement Family and our supporters nationwide, the outcome of this particular election is not a verdict on our exponentially growing strength nationwide, especially when viewed against the fact that we are barely one month old in the party and we had to contend with forces that have been entrenched in the state for the last two decades.
“However, within this very short period of only a few weeks, the Labour Party has made its presence and political impact felt nationally.
“We must strengthen our collective resolve not to relent in our noble march to take back our country. Much work remains to be done, hence we must focus the totality of our efforts now on the forthcoming 2023 General elections.
“In the fullness of time, our message of rescue and recovery will resonate throughout the length and breadth of the Nation and most Nigerian electorate will buy in into our mission to take back Nigeria, for the purpose of rescuing it from continued decline, shift the National psyche from consumption to production and from sharing dwindling resources to creating wealth and frontally combating poverty. – PO”
THE PUNCH
