RismadarVoice Reporters, August 19, 2026
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Wednesday received his Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission following his victory in the August 15 governorship election.
The certificate was presented to Adeleke at the INEC headquarters in Osogbo by the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Osun State, Prof. Kunle Ajani.
Adeleke thanked residents for renewing his mandate, saying the victory belonged to the people who supported him throughout the electoral process.
The governor, however, called for sober reflection over the violence recorded during the election, which he said resulted in injuries, destruction of property and loss of lives.
He announced plans to establish a N500 million Election Violence Victims Endowment Fund to assist verified victims and families affected by the violence.
“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.
“I am deeply humbled by the confidence you have renewed in me,” Adeleke said.
The governor also paid tribute to victims of the electoral violence, including Ezekiel Olapade, Aderogba Ajayi, Remi Abass and Kolade Eluyera.
He said the loss of lives and destruction recorded during the election should not be overlooked despite his electoral victory.
“Regardless of political affiliation, they were first our brothers, sisters and fellow citizens. To their families, your pain is our pain, and your loved ones will never be reduced to mere statistics,” he said.
Adeleke said a Verification and Relief Committee, chaired by the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Olumide Egbedun, would oversee the identification of verified victims and distribution of relief.
He stressed that the intervention would be humanitarian and not political, assuring that eligible victims would not be discriminated against on the basis of political affiliation, religion, ethnicity, gender or social status.
“No eligible victim will be excluded because of political affiliation, religion, ethnicity, gender or social status. In grief, there is no political party. In our common humanity, we are one people,” he said.
At a separate reception organised by workers in his honour, Adeleke disclosed that his family, through the Springtime Development Foundation, would provide full scholarships up to university level for children and dependants of people who died in the electoral violence.
The governor also appealed to residents to put the election behind them and unite for the development of the state.
“The election is over. The campaign is over. The contest is over. Now is the time to govern, unite, heal and build,” he said.
Adeleke assured residents that his administration would sustain its focus on infrastructure, healthcare, education, workers’ welfare, youth empowerment and economic development.
He also pledged to promote accountability, inclusion and transparency in the administration of the state.
The governor later received a warm welcome from workers who gathered to celebrate his return for a second term.
