Leader of the Senate and Chairman of the National Assembly South-West Caucus, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, has called on the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Osun State, Bola Oyebamiji, to publicly congratulate Governor Ademola Adeleke on his re-election and work with him in the interest of the state.

Bamidele, in a statement issued in Abuja while reviewing the outcome of the governorship election, said the result underscored the supremacy of the electorate and should be accepted by all contestants as the final verdict of the people.

The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Adeleke winner of the poll with 511,067 votes. Oyebamiji of the APC scored 444,815 votes, while the African Democratic Congress candidate, Najeem Salam, garnered 17,180 votes.

According to Bamidele, the outcome is not merely a confirmation of Adeleke’s mandate but a reminder of the heavy responsibility that comes with victory. He argued that the governor must now prioritise reconciliation and inclusive governance above partisan interests.

“In Osun, the decision of the majority does not only confirm the re-election of Governor Adeleke. It equally places the burden of victory on the elected candidate. This burden requires him to come up with clearly defined post-election measures that will effectively first reunite the state’s indigenes and residents across all the political divides,” he said.

The Senate Leader urged Adeleke to extend a hand of fellowship to his opponents and other political parties, stressing that building a resilient state demands contributions from all sides, regardless of political affiliation.

Bamidele specifically appealed to Oyebamiji to reach out to the governor, congratulate him and offer constructive policy proposals that could enhance governance and service delivery in Osun.

He further argued that the APC should not interpret the result as an outright defeat, recalling Adeleke’s past membership of the party and his open support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid. In his view, Adeleke’s victory also reflects shared political interests between the ruling party at the centre and the Osun governor.

Bamidele commended the Independent National Electoral Commission for its conduct of the poll and maintained that, despite losing the contest, the APC and its candidate remain critical stakeholders in Osun’s development and should play a robust, collaborative role in shaping the state’s future.