The streets of Ede North and Ede South local government areas of Osun State erupted into jubilation on Sunday as residents commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conducting a credible and peaceful governorship election in the state.

The residents, who spoke in interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the electoral process was generally orderly and transparent in spite of some political violence recorded.

NAN reports that Ede environs witnessed people dancing and jubilating after the electoral umpire disclared Governor Ademola Adeleke as winner of Saturday’s governorship election.

Mr Adeleke, who hails from Ede, defeated his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and 13 other candidates in the keenly contested election.

| | |
|---|

Streets across Ede recorded motorcycles and vehicles with people dancing and singing songs of joy and happiness.

They also charged the electoral umpire to ensure that lapses recorded in the just concluded Governorship election were addressed before the presidential poll.

A civil servant, Toyin Odewusi, said all efforts to truncate the electoral process was defeated and thanked God for making it possible for Adeleke to emerge victorious.

Mrs Odewusi charged the governor not to disappoint the masses that have turned out to cast their votes and support his re-election.

She urged supporters of the opposition parties to support the good work of the governor rather than staying aloof and making things more complex for him.

“We civil servants are happy because what the governor did for us cannot be overemphasised,” she said.

A business owner at Irewumi community in Ede, Thomas Babatunde, told NAN that the victory recorded by the governor was a result of his administration’s commitment to excellence.

Mr Babatunde said the developmental projects recorded in the state was overwhelming and such victory was premises on what the ordinary masses have seen and heard.

He called on the governor not to disappoint the voters who sacrificed their lives towards ensuring that he was re elected.

Also, Kabirat Abdulquadri, a resident of Odomburo, said the large turnout of voters across various polling units was an indication of the people’s interest in the electoral process and their determination to exercise their civic responsibility.

Mrs Abdulquadri noted that the presence of security personnel at the polling units also contributed to the peaceful conduct of the election.

She also hailed INEC for uploading electoral results successfully in spite of a little delay which indicate that the umpire has improved and also build electorate confidence in the system.

Funmi Alabi , a resident at Odomburo Oloba community of Owode -Ede, also commended INEC for the victory, adding that the governor had done credibly well in the last four years and deserve another tenure.

Mrs Alabi called on political parties, candidates and their supporters to accept the outcome of the election and avoid actions capable of disrupting the peace of the state.

NAN reports that the Osun governorship election was held across the 30 local government areas of the state on Saturday, with voters casting their ballots for candidates of various political parties.

(NAN)