Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke, has denied reaching any agreement with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of last Saturday’s governorship election.
Adeleke said ADC was not part of the political alliance that backed his bid for re-election before, during or after the poll.
The governor’s clarification followed a statement by ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, that the party had worked with the Accord Party to prevent the All Progressives Congress (APC) from winning the election.
However, in a statement issued on Tuesday by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke said his victory was made possible by the support of Osun residents and political allies who rallied behind his re-election campaign.
He also dismissed any electoral understanding with the ADC, insisting that the party was not among the groups that formed the coalition that campaigned for his victory.
“I commend political partners who went all out to make Saturday a victory day for all Osun people. But we must clarify for the sake of history that ADC was never part of the alliance,” Adeleke was quoted as saying.
The governor, who credited God and the people of Osun State for his victory, said his administration would now concentrate on governing the entire state without regard to political affiliations.
“Now that the election is over, I am a governor of all Osun people irrespective of political groups, religion or race,” he said.
Adeleke’s comments came after Abdullahi disclosed that the ADC had teamed up with the Accord Party to keep the APC from emerging victorious in Osun State.
The ADC spokesperson said the move was aimed at preventing the APC from taking control of the state.
The governor, however, maintained that the ADC played no part in the political alliance that supported his re-election, thereby distancing his administration from the claim that an agreement had been reached with the party before the election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Adeleke the winner of the governorship election, securing his return for another term in office.
