BREAKING: Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele has urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the 2026 Osun State election, Bola Oyebamiji, to immediately reach out to Governor Ademola Adeleke, congratulate him on his re-election and offer constructive policy ideas capable of advancing the state.
Bamidele, who is also Chairman of the National Assembly’s South-West Caucus, made the appeal while reacting to the outcome of the Osun governorship election, stressing that political competition should not prevent leaders from working together in the interest of the people.
According to the Senate Leader, Oyebamiji should accept the election outcome in good faith and demonstrate statesmanship by contacting Adeleke personally.
“Contact Governor Adeleke; congratulate him on his re-election and constructively share with him innovative policy ideas that can help move Osun State forward,” Bamidele said.
His call comes after the Independent National Electoral Commission’s declaration of Adeleke as winner of the keenly contested election. Adeleke secured 511,067 votes, defeating Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes. The African Democratic Congress candidate, Najeem Salam, finished third with 17,180 votes. Reports also indicate that Adeleke won 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji prevailed in 11.
The result marks another significant chapter in Osun State’s increasingly competitive political landscape. Rather than allowing the election to deepen political divisions, Bamidele argued that the period after the election should become an opportunity for reconciliation, cooperation and a renewed focus on governance.
He also called on Adeleke to extend a hand of fellowship to opposition candidates and political parties, emphasising that governance should be inclusive and should not exclude any section of the state.
For Oyebamiji, the recommendation goes beyond simply acknowledging defeat. Bamidele’s position suggests that opposition politicians can continue contributing to public policy even when they are not in government. By sharing workable ideas on infrastructure, education, healthcare, job creation, agriculture, investment, local government development and economic growth, opposition figures can remain relevant to the development process without compromising their political identity.
The appeal also reflects the broader democratic principle that elections are temporary contests, while the consequences of government decisions affect everyone.
Bamidele described the election turnout as evidence of growing confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process and reiterated that the people remain the ultimate arbiters in a democracy.
For Adeleke, the immediate challenge is therefore not simply celebrating victory but translating the renewed mandate into effective governance. With the election now concluded, expectations will shift toward delivering projects, improving public services, strengthening the state’s economy and ensuring that political differences do not become obstacles to development.
The message from Bamidele is consequently clear: the election may have produced a winner and losers, but Osun State itself must not lose.
His appeal to Oyebamiji to congratulate Adeleke and contribute policy ideas could therefore provide an opportunity for both sides of the political divide to place the interests of Osun residents above partisan rivalry.
In a state where political contests can be fiercely fought, such a gesture would send a powerful message that accepting an electoral outcome, offering constructive criticism and contributing ideas are all legitimate parts of democratic politics.
As Osun begins another political chapter under Adeleke, the bigger test will be whether the state's political leaders can transform electoral competition into constructive cooperation—and ultimately make governance, rather than political rivalry, the principal measure of success.
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