The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said it will not be under pressure to congratulate Governor Ademola Adeleke on his victory in the Osun State governorship election, insisting that its candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, may not have lost the election based on the highest number of valid votes.
Oluwole Oke, Director General of the APC Governorship Campaign Committee in Osun State, disclosed this while speaking on ARISE News Prime Time on Monday night.
Oke said the party was conducting a comprehensive review of the election results and other records before deciding on its next course of action.
“We will not be under any pressure to reach out to Governor Adeleke. We believe he did not score the highest valid votes. We are studying the records and conducting a thorough review. Soon, we will make our position known to members of the public,” he said.
He acknowledged President Bola Tinubu’s position following the declaration of the election result, describing the President as the “father of the nation” and a leader committed to democratic principles.
However, Oke maintained that the APC campaign committee was on the ground and would rely on its assessment of the election before taking a position.
“Politics is local. What we are doing, even for future records, is to conduct a thorough review of the entire process. And then we form an opinion,” he said.
According to him, the party would not be compelled to immediately congratulate Adeleke because it believed he did not score the highest valid votes during the election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke, winner of the Saturday governorship election.
Adeleke, who contested on the platform of the Accord Party, was declared winner by the State Returning Officer, Joshua Ogunwole, at the INEC State Collation Centre in Osogbo on Sunday morning after results from the 30 local government areas were collated.
The incumbent governor secured 511,067 votes to defeat the APC candidate, Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes.
Following his declaration, Adeleke extended a hand of fellowship to other contestants and urged Oyebamiji to accept the outcome and congratulate him.
“This is no victor, no vanquished. I want them to come over, and I’m expecting Oyebamiji to even think as a civilised person, to call and congratulate me,” Adeleke said.
However, the APC campaign committee’s latest position indicates that the party is not yet prepared to accept the result without further scrutiny.
Oke said the APC would make its position public after completing its examination of the election records, leaving open the possibility of further action over the outcome.
