Key points
- Governor Ademola Adeleke has received his Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following his victory in the Osun governorship election.
- Adeleke polled 511,067 votes to defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes.
- The governor announced a N500m endowment fund for verified victims and families affected by election violence.
- A verification and relief committee, chaired by the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, will administer the fund.
- Adeleke also pledged full university-level scholarships for children and dependants of people killed during the election period through the Springtime Development Foundation.
- The development comes amid renewed concerns over electoral violence following a shooting incident near the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo that left one person dead.
Main Story
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has received his Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and announced plans to establish a N500m endowment fund for victims of election violence.
The certificate was presented to Adeleke on Wednesday by the INEC National Commissioner representing the South-West, Prof Kunle Ajayi, at a ceremony attended by members of the governor’s cabinet, political associates and other supporters.
Adeleke was declared winner of the governorship election on Sunday by the State Returning Officer, Prof Joshua Ogunwole, after polling 511,067 votes to defeat the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who secured 444,815 votes.
Speaking at the ceremony, Adeleke described the certificate as a symbol of the collective mandate of the people of Osun, while acknowledging the contributions of workers, traders, youths, traditional and religious leaders and other citizens to the electoral process.
The governor, however, said the victory must be accompanied by sober reflection on the human cost of the election, particularly the deaths, injuries, destruction of property and loss of livelihoods recorded during the period.
He announced that the N500m election violence victims’ endowment fund would support verified victims and affected families, with a verification and relief committee chaired by the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, responsible for identifying beneficiaries and ensuring equitable distribution.
Adeleke also disclosed that his family, through the Springtime Development Foundation, would provide scholarships up to university level for children and dependants of people who lost their lives in election-related violence.
The Issues
The announcement comes against the backdrop of renewed concerns over election-related violence in the state. On Wednesday, gunshots were heard near the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo shortly after Adeleke visited the monarch to present his Certificate of Return.
While the governor’s convoy reportedly came under attack, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, initially said there was no casualty and that security personnel had repelled the attackers.
The police, however, later confirmed that a 60-year-old resident, Tajudeen Yusuf, was shot during the ensuing confrontation at Itaolokan area of Osogbo and subsequently died at the University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo.
The police said the incident followed an alleged attempt by Adebayo Taoreed, popularly known as “Small Rugged”, to gain access to Afrobeat singer David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, who had accompanied the governor to the palace. The confrontation allegedly attracted other suspected gang members.
The incident highlights the continuing security challenges surrounding political activities and the need for effective measures to prevent violence before, during and after elections.
What’s Being Said
Ademola Adeleke, Governor of Osun State:
“This certificate does not belong to Ademola Adeleke alone. It belongs to the people of Osun State: our workers, market men and women, youths, traditional and religious leaders, and every citizen who participated in this democratic process.”
On the victims of electoral violence, Adeleke said:
“No election, political office or ambition is worth the life of a single citizen.”
He added that the victims would not be treated according to their political affiliations, saying the intervention was a humanitarian responsibility.
Abiodun Ojelabi, Osun State Police Public Relations Officer:
The police spokesperson said preliminary investigation indicated that the confrontation at the Ataoja palace later resulted in the shooting of Tajudeen Yusuf.
The police have commenced a full-scale investigation and intensified efforts to identify and apprehend those responsible for the killing.
What’s Next
The immediate next step is the commencement of the verification process for victims and families eligible for assistance from the N500m endowment fund.
The verification and relief committee, under the leadership of the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, is expected to establish the identities and circumstances of victims and determine how relief will be distributed.
Security agencies are also expected to continue investigations into the Ataoja palace shooting, with the police vowing to apprehend those responsible.
The Springtime Development Foundation is expected to begin arrangements for scholarships for children and dependants of victims who lost their lives during the election period.
Bottom Line
Adeleke’s Certificate of Return marks the formal confirmation of his electoral victory, but his N500m victims’ fund shifts attention from political triumph to the human consequences of electoral violence. The success of the initiative will depend on transparent verification, equitable distribution and sustained efforts by security agencies to prevent further violence in Osun State.
