Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, pledged to heal political divisions, unite residents and deliver an inclusive administration as the state marked the 35th anniversary of its creation following a turbulent governorship election.

The Adeleke peace pledge came less than two weeks after the August 15 governorship election, in which Adeleke secured a second term after defeating his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress.

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Adeleke polled 511,067 votes against Oyebamiji’s 444,815, giving the incumbent a winning margin of 66,252 votes.

The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Adeleke the winner after results from all 30 local government areas were collated.

The governor used his anniversary broadcast to acknowledge the human cost of the electoral contest, including deaths, injuries and disruption to residents’ lives.

“My people, as you have again conferred the leadership mandate on me under recent difficult circumstances, I promise to heal the wounds, unite the people and uphold equity and fairness,” Adeleke said.

“Our administration will be all inclusive and attentive to criticisms in our bid to strengthen state development.”

The governor’s remarks extend a reconciliation message he began immediately after his re-election.

On August 16, Adeleke called for peace and unity and urged residents to reject reprisal attacks following weeks of political tension and reported violence.

Adeleke subsequently reinforced that position when he received his Certificate of Return from INEC on August 19, saying he held no grudge against political opponents.

He also announced a ₦500 million Election Violence Victims Endowment Fund to support verified victims and affected families.

The state government has since constituted a 10-member committee chaired by Osun State House of Assembly Speaker, Adewale Olumide Egbedun, to verify claims from victims and oversee the relief process. The committee was formally announced on August 24.

The initiative has, however, attracted calls for broader representation.

The Osun chapter of the Inter-Party Advisory Council has asked Adeleke to reconstitute the committee, arguing that political parties should have representation in the process.

Against that backdrop, Adeleke announced a further Commission of Inquiry into the electoral violence during his anniversary address.

“Our administration is setting up a Commission of Inquiry on election violence. The body will take memorandum from all victims and residents who are affected by recent electoral violence,” he said.

“This initiative is to identify the causes and remedies and proffer ways to stop such recurrence in the future.”

The governor also appealed directly to residents to resist retaliation.

“As we celebrate the anniversary of the creation of our dear state, I urge all residents to be law abiding and avoid violence. We must not engage in reprisal attacks,” Adeleke said.

He praised Osun voters for participating in the election despite the tense atmosphere, describing their conduct as a significant test of the state’s democratic character.

“Amidst reign of terror, you rejected the guns and embraced the ballot,” Adeleke said, adding that residents had defended their votes “even at personal risk to your lives”.

Adeleke described the recent election as the toughest test of Osun’s identity since the state’s creation 35 years ago.

His assessment comes against an election that attracted 15 candidates and produced a closely contested two-way race between the incumbent and Oyebamiji.

The governor’s post-election agenda extends beyond reconciliation.

He pledged to consolidate his administration’s work in infrastructure, digital economy, sports, agricultural mechanisation, education and healthcare.

Adeleke also promised greater attention to industrialisation, workers’ welfare, rural development, ease of doing business, wealth creation and poverty reduction, while maintaining his administration’s five-point development agenda.

“The youth, women and students will continue to receive special attention,” he said.

The anniversary therefore comes at a delicate moment for Osun.

Adeleke has secured a renewed mandate, but the violence surrounding the election has left questions about political reconciliation, accountability and public trust.

His response has so far combined calls for unity with concrete measures, including the proposed inquiry and the ₦500 million victims’ fund.

The effectiveness of those initiatives will depend on transparent verification, fair distribution of relief and the willingness of political actors and residents to move beyond the bitterness of the election.

For a state marking 35 years since its creation, Adeleke’s central message was that the next phase should be defined less by electoral rivalry and more by healing, accountability and development.

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“On this anniversary day, we have a lot to be proud of despite our challenges,” Adeleke said. “I will work harder never to disappoint you, the great people of Osun State.”