The inauguration and swearing-in event for Osun State governor-elect Senator Ademola Adeleke will take place today, November 27, 2022, to begin a four-year term as the State’s sixth executive governor.
Ademola Adeleke defeated his major opponent and outgoing governor of Osun State, Adegboyega Oyetola, in the July 16, 2022, gubernatorial election. Adeleke was elected as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after losing the governorship race in the same party in 2018.
Atiku Abubakar, the PDP’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, is in the state as part of the swearing-in event.
The Nigerian Police, Osun State Command, and other security agencies in the state have also said that steps have been taken to make sure that law and order don’t break down before, during, or after the inauguration ceremony.
While providing the promise, CP Faleye Sunday Olaleye also cautioned criminals to avoid the state. Parents and guardians were also urged not to allow their children or wards to be used as political pawns by unhappy politicians. To demonstrate their resolve, the security services staged a show of force across significant portions of Osogbo, the State capital, on Saturday, November 26, 2022.
Meanwhile, the outgoing governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, revealed in a farewell statement to the residents of the state that his administration is leaving behind 14 billion in cash in the state’s coffers, just as it paid 97 billion of the debts inherited from the Rauf Aregbesola administration in 2018.
While insisting that he was stepping down, he claimed that the results of the last gubernatorial election, which favoured Senator Ademola Adeleke, were already being disputed by him and the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.
His handover note reads –
“As I step aside today following the conclusion of the four-year tenure you freely gave me, I thank God and I thank you for your support, cooperation, and prayers over the years.
“I recall how the journey began four years ago; how by your belief in me and your conviction in the plans and programmes of our Party, you exercised your right to vote for me.
“Motivated by God’s promise, my conviction, we promised to serve you with steady heart and hands. We promised that we would hit the ground running once we assume office. We gave our words that we would put you first and run a people-centred government. We pledged to uphold the best ideals befitting of an Omoluabi.
“As we draw the curtain on this first tenure, We are convinced that we neither reneged on our promises nor disappointed you. We kept faith in you and maintained fidelity to our electoral promises. It was our wish to continue to serve you but we are constrained by the outcome of the July 16 Governorship election which we are already challenging in court.
“As law-abiding citizens and government, we are stepping aside to allow the law to take its course.
“However, we look forward to continuing to serve you in no distant future. We have absolute trust in God that we shall be back soon, as we have implicit trust and confidence in the judiciary to do justice in the case before it.
“We are confident that this period of temporary political eclipse shall pass. The sun shall shine again, brighter and warmer and the sustainable development and participatory governance that we enthroned, which have been applauded by local and international organisations, shall be restored and put on a surer and better footing.
“There can be no substitute for people-oriented and development-savvy governance in a democracy. The tap roots of the unprecedented good governance, inclusive and participatory governance that we introduced, which delivered massive equitable projects and programmes are too strong to be uprooted.
“My Dear Good People of Osun, I cannot thank you enough for not only supporting us throughout our tenure but for also standing by us even after the outcome of the July 16 election. Your goodwill encouraged us to continue with all our projects till the last day.”
