Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has congratulated his Osun State counterpart, Ademola Adeleke, on his re-election, saying the outcome of the governorship election reflected the will of the people.
Makinde, in a message posted on his verified X account on Sunday, described Adeleke as his brother and said his victory followed a long and difficult political journey.
“Hearty congratulations to my brother, His Excellency Ademola @AAdeleke_01 on his reelection as Governor of Osun State.
“It has indeed been a long and arduous journey, but we are delighted that the will of the good people of Osun State prevailed in the end,” he said.
Makinde’s congratulatory message came shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Adeleke the winner of Saturday’s Osun State governorship election.
Adeleke, who contested on the platform of the Accord Party after leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), secured 511,067 votes to defeat his closest challenger, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes.
The incumbent governor won in 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won 11.
The victory secured Adeleke a second term in office and marked the first time the Accord Party has won a governorship election in Osun State.
Adeleke joined Accord following his exit from the PDP amid the crisis within the opposition party. His defection was followed by the movement of several political figures and lawmakers into the Accord Party.
In February, 25 members of the Osun State House of Assembly elected on the PDP platform defected to Accord, while six members of the House of Representatives from the state also joined the party in March.
Makinde has remained a prominent political ally within the wider opposition camp, making his congratulatory message significant as political actors begin to assess the implications of Adeleke’s victory ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Osun election was characterised by intense campaigns, political realignments and fierce competition among the major political parties.
Other opposition leaders, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and former Senate President Bukola Saraki, have also congratulated Adeleke on his victory.
Makinde, however, focused his message on the electorate, stressing that despite the difficult political journey leading to the election, the ultimate outcome was that the will of the people of Osun State prevailed.