His Royal Majesty Oba Dr Hammed Adekunle Oyelude Makama, Tegbosun III, CON, Olowu of Kuta, congratulated Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, Governor of Osun State, on his victory in the 15 August governorship election and urged him to approach a renewed mandate with magnanimity and a commitment to inclusive governance.
The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Adeleke the winner after he secured 511,067 votes, defeating All Progressives Congress candidate Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes. Adeleke won by 66,252 votes and carried 19 of Osun’s 30 local government areas.
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The result gives Adeleke a second term after a closely watched contest that carried significance beyond Osun.
His re-election came after he left the Peoples Democratic Party and contested under the Accord Party, while the APC sought to regain the governorship it lost in 2022.
In his congratulatory message from the palace, Oba Oyelude said the renewed mandate represented an opportunity for Adeleke to consolidate the gains of his first administration while addressing areas where residents expected stronger delivery.
The monarch called on the governor to resist the temptation to treat the election as a triumph over political opponents.
Instead, he urged Adeleke to use the victory to build bridges across political and community divides.
That appeal comes against the backdrop of a campaign marked by political tension and reports of violence in parts of the state.
The post-election emphasis on reconciliation therefore carries significance beyond ceremonial congratulations.
Adeleke himself adopted a conciliatory tone after the result, extending what he described as an olive branch to his opponents.
“In this race, there is no victor, no vanquished. I extend an olive branch to my co-contestants. I am the Governor of all Osun people.”
The governor also pledged to strengthen areas of his first-term record while correcting shortcomings, promising accelerated development, industrialisation, investment and improved public services.
Oba Oyelude urged Adeleke to translate those commitments into visible action, particularly in communities outside the state’s major urban centres.
He called for greater attention to rural development, arguing that several urban areas had benefited significantly from projects during the governor’s first term and that the next phase should spread development more deliberately to rural communities.
The monarch also placed security and the general welfare of residents among the priorities for the second term.
“He charged the governor to ‘hit the ground running’ by consolidating on ongoing development initiatives,” the statement said, while urging sustained attention to projects already under way across the state.
The call for continuity has a particular resonance given the political relationship between the two men.
In July, Adeleke visited the Olowu’s palace during a campaign tour and praised Oba Oyelude’s contribution to peace, cultural preservation and consensus-building in Kuta. The governor described the monarch as an example of purposeful leadership.
The latest exchange also illustrates the more nuanced role traditional rulers can play in a politically divided environment.
Oba Oyelude has previously taken political positions that did not align with Adeleke’s campaign.
In 2022, for example, he publicly supported the re-election bid of then-governor Adegboyega Oyetola of the APC.
His decision to congratulate Adeleke after the 2026 election therefore places the emphasis on continuity of government and the welfare of Osun residents rather than on partisan allegiance.
The wider electoral result has already prompted competing assessments of the campaign and the voting process.
Observer groups broadly described the election as orderly while raising concerns in some areas about vote buying, voter inducement and aspects of electoral technology.
The APC has also indicated that it is reviewing the results before deciding whether to pursue a legal challenge, leaving the possibility that the political contest could continue beyond the declaration by INEC.
For Adeleke, however, the immediate task is governance. The second-term mandate comes with a clearer expectation from residents and community leaders that campaign promises will translate into practical improvements in infrastructure, rural development, security and public services.
For the Olowu of Kuta, the message is equally direct: victory should be followed by magnanimity, and political success should ultimately be measured by what reaches the people.
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As Adeleke prepares for his second term, that distinction may prove important. An election settles who governs, but the quality of the government that follows will determine how enduring the mandate becomes.
Mariam Balogun is a contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
