Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has described acts of thuggery and violence as being against the spirit of democracy which envisages choice making through the ballot.
The governor, who also frowned at several incidents of political violence in Osun state, declared that election is about making choices and not war.
Adeleke made these assertions while receiving political leaders who paid him a visit on the electoral successes of the Osun Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the general elections.
He decried the shedding of innocent blood by some politicians and commended the efforts of security agencies during the polls in the state.
In his words, “My election as Governor on July 16, 2022 has been reaffirmed and revalidated by mass victories for me and my party on February 25th and on March 18th of this year. The whole world can attest to the fact that our mandate is of the people, by the people and for the people.
“Elected people hold power in trust for the people. We must therefore bow to people’s will. When you fail in a poll, go back and prepare for the next round of election. That is democracy in action. We must eschew violence. It is unacceptable to kill and maim people you are seeking to govern.
“As we celebrate the successes of the poll, we are also sympathizing with victims of political violence across the state. We are saddened by deliberate acts of thuggery in some parts of the state. I will repeat here that election is not war but choice making.”
Recall that the Osun PDP secured all the three Senatorial and nine House of Representatives seats in the National Assembly election of Saturday, February 25, 2023.
The party also on Saturday, March 18, 2023, secured 25 of the 26 State of Assembly seats.
It seemed it was history in the making but in the 2011 general elections, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Osun secured all the National Assembly seats and all the 26 House of Assembly seats.
