By Seyi Odewale, Cross Udo, and Oludamisi Ojo
In a combination of street popularity, dancing prowess and other factors, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, emerged winner of the keenly contested exercise.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Osun State Governorship Returning Officer, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe’s announcement of Adeleke as the eventual winner was a clear statement that the people of the state had spoken through their votes and made them count.

Expectedly, the elected candidate did what he knew best to do; danced like he has never done before and will dance into the Government House later in the year when the incumbent, Governor Gboyega Oyetola leaves office.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Senator Adeleke, candidate of the PDP, following his victory in the last Saturday’s gubernatorial election in Osun State.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Chief Femi Adesina yesterday, noted that with the election the expressed conviction that “the people of Osun have expressed their will through the ballot, and the will of the people must always matter and be respected in a democracy”.

Buhari noted that the successful conduct of the election was further testimony to the maturity and commitment of all stakeholders – the electoral body, security agencies, political parties, the media, civil society, and the electorate- to further strengthen the integrity of the electoral process in the country. He reassured the nation that “the commitment of this administration towards having credible elections remains unshaken.”

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*We are studying Osun election results, says Oyetola

However, the state governor and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the just concluded exercise, Oyetola, has said the outcome of last Saturday’s election was being studied.

“The leadership of the party is still studying the results of the poll,” he was quoted to have said.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Ismail Omipidan, the governor said he had taken cognisance of the results of the election as announced by the INEC and noted that his party would react after appraising the outcome of the election.

Oyetola hinted that the APC would be responding appropriately after studying the results and consulting critical stakeholders of the party.

He called on his supporters to remain calm and asked the people of the state to go about their businesses without let or hindrance.

The governor charged security operatives to ensure the maintenance of law and order and forestall acts that could lead to the breakdown of law.

Adeleke polled PDP 403,371 to defeat Oyetola and the APC with 375,027 votes, while Lasun Yusuf of Labour Party (LP) polled 2,729.

The PDP candidate won in 17 local government areas against Oyetola’s 13, as he was declared elected by the Chief Returning Officer for INEC, Ogundipe, who is the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos.

Following the just-held Osun gubernatorial election, the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) and the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) have raised the alarm over a clear lack of cooperation among government agencies.

From a joint preliminary report signed by the HEDA chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, and the WARDC Executive Director, Dr Abiola Akiode-Afolabi, the groups said while the INEC was striving to enthrone fairness, transparency, and credibility in the electoral process, the dearth of unity of purpose among the agencies was the albatross to achieving this goal.

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According to them, it was uncalled- to see some security personnel conducting themselves in an unprofessional manner at the exercise.

“While some of the Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) have improved on catching up on vote buyers notwithstanding the lack of inter-agency cooperation, the politicians continue to get smarter; hence, there is more to be done,” the group said.
HEDA and WARDC commended the efforts of LEAs particularly the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in curbing vote-buying, as the usual ominous vote-buying in public or with reckless abandon was minimized while several persons were arrested.

“There was more consciousness on the part of both buyers and sellers of the vote, a good precursor to minimising the phenomenon altogether, an indication of successes of the post-election advocacy on the issue since the last general elections in 2019, though party agents were still in few cases caught offering money for votes.

“For instance, there was an incident where the EFCC reportedly went to conduct a search (based on intelligence gathered) but on getting to the location, the place was fortified with some other LEAs, thereby denying the EFCC access to investigation and arrest of bigwigs involved in the act. Where other LEAs were expected to be cooperating and aiding the fight against vote-buying, they were found instead obstructing or perhaps abetting a crime,” reports revealed.

The civil society groups maintained that reports also highlighted the role of voters and community education in curbing vote-buying.

It said, “Some communities have so normalised vote-buying and related activities that opposing party agents already have an understanding within one another to look away and allow each party to buy votes from those who already have inclinations to vote for the particular party without one party attempting to induce the loyalists of another.

“This arrangement, according to the report has been tagged: “Chop make I chop,” a slogan in the Nigerian Pidgin English translated to mean “Eat yours and let me eat mine (without either of us interfering in another’s business)”.

They commended the media for proving to be a worthy partner in the fight against vote-buying as they on various occasions beamed the searchlight on vote markets as well as its stakeholders and alerted the LEAs accordingly, thereby aiding arrests and investigations.

The report also highlighted that in Ward 9, Unit 02 of Ifedapo Local Government Area of the state, the voting cubicle was placed in a position that compromised the secrecy of the voters, thereby leaving an opportunity for vote-buying.

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They applauded the electorate for massive and early turnout, a good sign for subsequent elections in the country. However, cases of BVAS malfunctioning were reported, which almost triggered agitations, however, no violence was reported.

The organisations said they would continue to monitor the situation while working to produce a full report.

*Aregbesola: It’s God’s will
In another development, former Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, has reacted to the victory of the PDP candidate, Ademola Adeleke, in the just-concluded governorship election.

Aregbesola, who was outside the country, at the weekend, reacted to the polls in a cryptic message he posted on his Facebook page.

The Minister of Interior and incumbent Governor Oyetola have been at loggerheads since 2019 and it was believed that members of the Osun Progressives, the group loyal to the Minister, did not work for Oyetola’s re-election.

On his Facebook page, the former governor wrote “Osun Le Tente”, and quoted a Bible verse. “This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the highest ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men- (Daniel 4:17).”

He, however, deleted the message after a few hours.