The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has congratulated Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State on his victory at the keenly contested polls.
Similarly, the Kwara State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), at the weekend, congratulated Governor Adeleke, his family and the entire citizenry on the outcome of the governorship election.
In a letter personally signed by the chairman, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the NGF said the strides and personality of Adeleke readily paid off at the saturday election.
It similarly applauded Osun people for the large turnouts, saying: “we believe that the interest the off-cycle ballot generated again confirms the resilience of the Nigerian democracy.
“We commend the important role the opposition also play in shaping our democracy and we commend all the candidates for their efforts,” it stated.
The NGF commended security agencies for curtailing the initial trend of violence leading to the successful outing of the exercise without much incidents.
Meanwhile, PDP, in a statement by its State Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Adewara, said: “the Osun election has delivered an important lesson to Governor Abdulrazaq and his outgoing APC government in Kwara, particularly those who mistake incumbency for ownership of the electorate and traditional institutions.
“We put it to him that occupying the office of governor does not mean Kwarans have surrendered their conscience or their right to make independent political choices. The misuse of traditional rulers for political advantage does not guarantee that the people will vote according to the wishes of those in power. Kwarans remain the ultimate custodians of their political power and the final arbiters of who they entrust with leadership.
“For the Kwara PDP, the significance of the Osun election goes beyond the victory of one candidate or one political platform. It is a victory for the principle that the ballot belongs to the voters. The people of Osun have demonstrated that courage at the ballot box can overcome political intimidation and that the collective will of the people remains stronger than the machinery of government.
“We urge the people of Kwara to draw inspiration from the Osun example by remaining courageous, vigilant and committed to protecting their democratic rights as we approach the 2027 elections.
“The power to determine who governs ultimately belongs to the people, and no political authority, regardless of its influence, resources or institutional power, should ever make citizens believe otherwise,” it opined.
It, however, commended Osun people for trooping out to vote despite the initial intimidation, threats and violence, saying: “This demonstrated courage and commitment to democracy.
“The Osun political atmosphere was heavily charged, with the state witnessing an extraordinary display of federal governmental power, an overwhelming security presence, threats, political intimidation and violence before the election.
“Yet, despite these pressures, the people of Osun refused to surrender their democratic choices as they came out en masse to vote for the candidate of their choice, demonstrating remarkable courage and commitment to democracy,” the party noted,” it said.
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