The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has attributed Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election in Osun State to his strides in office and personal appeal among voters.
The Forum, in a congratulatory statement signed by its Chairman and Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, on Sunday, also hailed the people of Osun State for their turnout during the keenly contested election.
“The NGF acknowledges the strides and personality of the Governor, which readily paid off at the keenly contested election,” the Forum said.
Adeleke, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, secured victory in the August 15 governorship election, defeating his closest challenger, the All Progressives Congress candidate.
The governors’ body said the interest generated by the off-cycle poll was evidence of the resilience of Nigeria’s democratic process.
“We believe that the interest that the off-cycle ballot generated again confirms the resilience of the Nigerian democracy,” it said.
The Forum also recognised the contribution of opposition parties to the democratic process, commending all candidates who participated in the contest.
“The Forum acknowledges the incredibly important role that opposition parties also play in shaping our democracy and we commend all the candidates for their efforts,” the statement said.
On security, the NGF praised security agencies for containing the violence recorded in the days preceding the election and providing conditions for voting to take place.
“The NGF commends the security agencies for curtailing the initial trend of violence in the days leading to the election and creating a secure condition for the exercise to proceed without much incidents,” it said.
The Forum also singled out President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what it described as a statesmanlike approach during the electoral process, noting his dual position as leader of the ruling party and father of the nation.
“Finally, we acknowledge the statesmanlike role that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has played as he carefully balanced his position as the leader of the ruling party on the one hand and the father of the nation on the other,” the governors said.
The NGF expressed confidence that Adeleke would consolidate on his first-term record as he begins another four-year tenure.
“We are confident that HE Ademola Adeleke will continue to build on the successes of his first term in the overall interest of the people of Osun State,” the Forum said.