The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the August 15 Osun State election, Bola Oyebamiji, has reacted to the outcome of the poll, saying he accepts the position of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following his defeat to Governor Ademola Adeleke.
Oyebamiji made his first public comments on the election in a message shared on his X account on Tuesday, three days after the governorship contest.
INEC had declared Adeleke of the Accord Party winner of the election after securing 511,067 votes, ahead of Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes.
Addressing the result, the APC candidate expressed appreciation to party leaders, members and supporters across the state for standing by his campaign throughout the election period. He said he remained thankful to everyone who supported the vision his campaign presented to the people of Osun.
‘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,’ he said.
Oyebamiji said his campaign ideals would continue beyond the election despite the conclusion of the contest.
‘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.
He also appealed to his supporters to remain law-abiding, stay active in their communities and continue contributing to the progress of the state.
The APC flagbearer, however, alleged that members and supporters of the party were facing increasing attacks after the election and called the attention of authorities to the situation.
‘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,’ Oyebamiji said.
According to him, incidents targeting APC supporters before the election had ‘taken another dimension in the last 24 hours.’
He urged the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to take necessary action, while encouraging his supporters to remain calm and peaceful in the face of the developments.
Oyebamiji also thanked voters, volunteers, party members and leaders who worked for his candidacy, saying he remained ‘proud of the campaign we ran’ and appreciative of the trust they placed in him.