Several governors and chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were seen leaving Osogbo, the Osun State capital, in long convoys in the early hours of Sunday, with residents along the road chanting “Ole” (thieves) as the vehicles passed.
A video circulating after the governorship election showed several vehicles believed to be carrying APC governors and other senior party officials driving out of the state capital, while some residents gathered along the route jeered and shouted “Ole”.
The development came hours after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, winner of Saturday’s governorship election.
Adeleke polled 511,067 votes to defeat the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who recorded 444,815 votes after results from the 30 local government areas were collated.
The APC had mobilised several governors and senior party officials to Osun during the campaign and voting period in support of Oyebamiji.
The election was, however, marked by allegations and counter-allegations, including claims of intimidation, vote-buying and attempts to interfere with the electoral process.
Shortly after casting his vote in Ede North Local Government Area on Saturday, Adeleke alleged that the APC had brought a police officer from Port Harcourt to disrupt the election.
“There is one police officer called London from Port Harcourt, they brought him to come and disorganise the vote. So I am calling on the Inspector General of Police and all the security agents to watch out and be on the lookout,” Adeleke said.
The governor also alleged that there was an attempt to bypass the established electoral collation process by moving results directly to collation centres.
“The APC in Osun brought him to come and destroy my town,” Adeleke alleged, while urging security agencies to ensure that election results followed the prescribed process from polling units to wards and local government areas.
Following his victory, Adeleke described the outcome as “a victory for democracy” and thanked the people of Osun State for renewing their confidence in his administration.
He pledged to repay the confidence by accelerating development across the state.
“This is the Osun people saying ‘Thank you, Mr Governor.’ I will repay that ‘thank you’ back by making sure that I have a vision,” Adeleke said.
“My vision is to make sure Osun State moves from civil service state to industrial state and make sure all across Osun State development is on.”
The governor also said he expected Oyebamiji to congratulate him, describing the APC candidate as a civilised person.
“I expect Oyebamiji, as a civilised person, to call and congratulate me,” Adeleke said.
He further disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had called to congratulate him on the electoral victory.
“Mr President has called me, and he has congratulated me. Thank you, Mr President, for making sure democracy lives on because we fought for it,” he said.
Adeleke, who maintained confidence throughout the election that he would emerge victorious, attributed his success to his faith.
“I have a God who never fails, who will never fail forevermore,” he said.
The result gives Adeleke another term in office after he defeated the APC candidate in one of the most closely watched governorship elections in the country, while the departure of APC leaders from Osogbo amid chants from residents added another dramatic scene to an election already surrounded by intense political rivalry and controversy.