Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has received his Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission and announced a N500m endowment fund for victims of election violence and their families.
Adeleke received the certificate on Wednesday at the Osun INEC office in Osogbo, days after he was declared winner of the August 15 governorship election.
The governor polled 511,067 votes to defeat the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes. African Democratic Congress candidate Najeem Salaam came third with 17,180 votes.
Adeleke won 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won 11.
The certificate was presented by the INEC National Commissioner supervising the South-West, Prof Kunle Ajayi, at a ceremony attended by members of the governor’s cabinet, political associates and other stakeholders.
Speaking after receiving the document, Adeleke described the certificate as a mandate belonging to the people of Osun rather than a personal trophy.
“This certificate does not belong to Ademola Adeleke alone. It belongs to the people of Osun State,” the governor said.
He thanked workers, traders, youths, traditional and religious leaders and other residents who participated in the electoral process, saying he was humbled by the confidence placed in his administration.
Adeleke, however, said the election victory should also be a moment for sober reflection, particularly over the violence that accompanied the political contest.
He said citizens were injured, properties and livelihoods were destroyed and lives were lost.
“It is deeply painful that any family should have to bury a loved one because of politics. No election, political office or ambition is worth the life of a single citizen,” he said.
The governor identified Ezekiel Olapade, Aderogba Ajayi, Remi Abass and Kolade Eluyera among victims of electoral violence and expressed sympathy to their families.
He announced that the Osun State Government would establish a N500m Election Violence Victims Endowment Fund to support verified victims and affected families.
A verification and relief committee, chaired by the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Adewale Olumide Egbedun, will oversee the identification of victims and distribution of assistance.
Adeleke said the scheme would not discriminate on political, religious, ethnic, gender or social grounds.
“This is not a political intervention. It is a humanitarian responsibility,” he said.
He also announced that his family, through the Springtime Development Foundation, would provide scholarships up to university level for the children and dependants of people killed during the violence.
The governor’s announcement came on the same day fresh gunfire was reported in Osogbo following his visit to the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun.
Police later confirmed that a 60-year-old resident, Tajudeen Yusuf, was shot dead in the Ita-Olokan area after a confrontation involving suspected gang members.
According to the police, a suspected thug identified as Adebayo Taoreed, popularly known as “Small Rugged”, allegedly attempted to gain access to Davido, who had accompanied the governor to the palace.
Members of Davido’s security team reportedly resisted the attempt, leading to a confrontation that attracted other suspected gang members.
The police said the governor’s convoy eventually left the area safely but the suspected gang members later moved away and allegedly shot Yusuf at Ita-Olokan.
He was rushed to the University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, where he was pronounced dead.
The police command has commenced an investigation and launched efforts to arrest those responsible.
The latest killing presents an immediate challenge to Adeleke’s promise to use his renewed mandate to unite and heal Osun after a closely fought election.
The N500m fund and scholarship programme will now be closely watched for transparent implementation as the state moves from electoral contest to governance.
