Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has formally received his Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission, confirming his re-election for a second term following his victory in the August 15 governorship election.
The certificate was presented to Adeleke by INEC National Commissioner, Professor Kunle Ajayi, at the commission's office in Osogbo. Accepting the mandate, the governor described the moment as one of deep gratitude and reflection, dedicating his victory to the people of Osun State who stood firm for democracy throughout the electoral process. He, however, struck a solemn tone over the violence, injuries and loss of life recorded during the election, paying tribute to victims including Ezekiel Olapade, Aderogba Ajayi, Remi Abass and Kolade Eluyera.
To support those affected, Adeleke announced the establishment of a N500 million Osun State Election Violence Victims Endowment Fund, aimed at providing relief to verified victims and grieving families. He disclosed that a Verification and Relief Committee, chaired by the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, would oversee the process of identifying and supporting beneficiaries. The governor further revealed that his family, through the Springtime Development Foundation, would provide automatic scholarships up to university level for the children and dependants of those who lost their lives during the electoral violence.
Adeleke had earlier defeated the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, polling 511,067 votes against 444,815, a margin of 66,252 votes. The African Democratic Congress candidate, Najeem Salaam, came third with 17,180 votes. Out of 985,079 valid votes cast, Adeleke won in 19 of the state's 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji secured the remaining 11.
