The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the August 15 Osun State governorship election, Bola Oyebamiji, has said he respects the position of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following his defeat by the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke.
Oyebamiji made the statement in a message posted on his X account on Tuesday, three days after the election.
Adeleke, the candidate of the Accord Party, was declared the winner after securing 511,067 votes, while Oyebamiji polled 444,815 votes.
Reacting to the result, the APC candidate thanked party leaders, members, supporters, volunteers and voters across the state for their support throughout the campaign.
“Although, we had hoped for a different outcome in the election, in the meantime, we respect the position of the electoral umpire and I totally support the decision of our party in its ongoing review of the outcome of the election,” Oyebamiji said.
He maintained that although the election and campaign had ended, the issues and values his campaign promoted remained relevant to the development of Osun State.
“The campaign has come to an end and the election is over, but the values and causes we championed are alive. We would continue to work for effective, inclusive and rapid development of our dear Osun,” he said.
Oyebamiji also appealed to his supporters to remain calm, peaceful and actively engaged in their communities, stressing the need to prioritise the collective interest of the state.
However, he raised concerns over alleged attacks on APC members and supporters, calling on the state government and security agencies to take immediate steps to prevent further violence.
“At the same time, I wish to alert the State Government and security agents to the growing trend of hostility and violence against our members and supporters,” he said.
According to him, alleged attacks recorded before the election had “taken another dimension in the last 24 hours.”
He therefore urged the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to intervene and ensure the safety of all residents, while appealing to his supporters to remain law-abiding.
Oyebamiji said he remained proud of the campaign his team ran and expressed gratitude to those who supported his candidacy.
“I remain proud of the campaign we ran,” he said, thanking the people of Osun for their confidence and support.