Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has congratulated Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on his re-election, saying the outcome of the August 15 governorship election reflects the choice of the people.

The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Adeleke the winner of the keenly contested election on Sunday.

Oyebanji, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode, described Adeleke’s victory as an expression of the preference of the majority of Osun voters.

SEE MORE: ‘Retract Your Claims or Face ₦10bn Suit’ — Adeleke’s Campaign Spokesman Warns Fadahunsi

“This is democracy, and the majority of Osun voters have expressed their preference for the re-election of Governor Adeleke,” Oyebanji said.

He congratulated Adeleke on his electoral victory and urged him to be magnanimous in victory by carrying other contestants along in the task of building a more prosperous Osun State.

Oyebanji also commended the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, describing him as “a worthy challenger” and applauding Osun APC members for putting up a strong fight during the election.

He urged the opposition party to return to the drawing board and strategise for future elections.

The Ekiti governor also praised President Bola Tinubu for what he described as providing a level playing field for all candidates, arguing that the move helped reduce tension and contributed to a credible contest.

“We must specially appreciate our dear President, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, for providing a level playing field for all the contestants.

This singular act of the President reduced tension and made the contest a credible one,” he said.

Oyebanji further commended INEC and the security agencies for their roles in conducting the election.

He, however, cautioned against interpreting Adeleke’s victory as a rejection of Tinubu by Osun voters, predicting that the state would massively support the President in the 2027 election.

“The outcome of the Osun Governorship election should not be misinterpreted as a true reflection of Osun people about President Bola Tinubu. Certainly not. The people of Osun will massively vote for President Tinubu come January 2027,” Oyebanji added.

The presidential candidate of the Action Democratic Party, ADP, Ambassador Aliyu Bin Abbas, has raised the alarm over alleged moves to replace him as the party’s candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Abbas, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Okpani Jacob Onjewu Dickson, and made available to journalists in Kaduna on Friday, said any attempt to substitute his name without his consent and outside established legal and party procedures would undermine democratic principles.

SEE ALSO: Fresh ADC Twist: Faction Rejects Atiku Camp, Picks Chris Uba for 2027 Presidency

He said he had received information about alleged political pressure concerning the party’s presidential candidacy, although he did not provide independent evidence to substantiate the claim.

According to him, any decision affecting the party’s presidential candidate must comply with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act, the constitution and regulations of the ADP, as well as applicable procedures of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

“Any attempt to secretly substitute, withdraw, replace or otherwise compromise my candidacy without my express consent and without strict adherence to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act, the constitution and regulations of the ADP, and applicable INEC procedures would constitute a grave assault on democratic principles and the rights of our members and supporters,” he said.

Abbas said he emerged as the ADP presidential candidate through the party’s recognised processes, stressing that any subsequent decision concerning the ticket should be handled transparently and in accordance with the law.

“My mandate is not a personal possession of any individual, neither is it a political bargaining chip to be traded behind closed doors,” he said.

The ADP candidate urged the party’s National Chairman, Engr. Yabagi Yusuf Sani, the National Working Committee, Board of Trustees, state chairmen and other stakeholders to protect the integrity of the party’s presidential nomination process.

He also called on the party leadership to preserve official records relating to the presidential primary, nomination, submission of documents and communications with INEC.

Abbas further maintained that any alteration to the party’s presidential ticket should only be undertaken through lawful, transparent and verifiable procedures prescribed by the party’s constitution and relevant electoral laws.

He urged political stakeholders to respect the rights of party members and supporters and allow democratic processes to determine candidates for the 2027 elections.

“Our party belongs to its members. Our mandate belongs to the people. And our democracy belongs to Nigeria,” he said.

A Civil Society Organisation, Yiaga Africa, has warned that rising tension, pre-election violence and inflammatory rhetoric could discourage voters from participating in Saturday’s Osun State governorship election.

The organisation raised the alarm on Thursday during a pre-election press conference in Osogbo, where the Chairperson of the Osun Election Observation Mission, Dr Asmau Maikudi, urged political actors and other stakeholders to create a peaceful environment for voters.

RELATED NEWS: Election: Yiaga Africa Alleges Result Manipulation In Imo, Rivers States

Maikudi said preparations for the election were broadly on track but stressed that the credibility of the exercise would ultimately depend on the performance of the Independent National Electoral Commission on election day.

She said INEC had carried out key preparations across the state’s 30 Local Government Areas, including Permanent Voter Card distribution, recruitment and training of election officials, mock accreditation, BVAS configuration, stakeholder engagement and election security coordination.

“The electoral umpire had undertaken key preparatory activities across the 30 Local Government Areas, including Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) distribution, recruitment and training of election officials, mock accreditation, BVAS configuration, stakeholder engagement and election security coordination.

“Election-day credibility will depend on timely deployment, reliable technology, consistent application of the law and effective contingency planning,” she said.

However, Maikudi noted that PVC collection was disrupted in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas, limiting some eligible voters’ ability to obtain their cards.

She said although INEC had announced plans to enable affected voters to download electronic PVCs, limited access to digital services could prevent some voters from benefiting from the arrangement.

“This increases the risk of voter disenfranchisement,” she warned.

On security, the Yiaga Africa official cited the attack on a PVC collection centre in Odo-Otin, politically linked violence in Osogbo and disputes over control of motor parks as developments that had heightened security risks ahead of the poll.

She also expressed concern over what she described as an escalation in incendiary rhetoric and hate speech attributed to political actors.

“Yiaga Africa expressed concern over the escalation of incendiary rhetoric and hate speech attributed to political actors. Such rhetoric could legitimise violence, deepen partisan hostility and undermine public confidence in the electoral process.

“We called for intelligence-led, coordinated and strictly impartial security deployment, with enhanced protection for electoral personnel, facilities, materials and voters,” Maikudi said.

She urged security and law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute electoral violence, threats, hate speech and related offences without regard to political status, party affiliation or influence.

Maikudi further warned that unresolved technical problems could disenfranchise eligible voters, create tension at polling units and undermine confidence in the credibility and legitimacy of the election.

She called for more targeted voter education, particularly for women, youths and persons with disabilities, stressing the need to sustain political awareness and civic engagement ahead of the election.

Yiaga Africa also identified voter inducement as a significant integrity risk, saying it had documented the distribution of money and gift items by political actors.

According to Maikudi, some of the distributions were presented as social interventions or charitable support, but their timing and proximity to campaign activities raised concerns about voter inducement and undue influence.

She said voter education activities had expanded since July 1, with INEC, civil society organisations and the National Orientation Agency playing key roles.

Maikudi, however, cautioned that pre-election violence, inflammatory rhetoric and persistent distrust in the electoral process could suppress voter participation on election day.