Adeleke receives Certificate of Return, announces N500m fund for Osun election violence victims

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has received his Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following his victory in the August 15 governorship election.

Adeleke, who received the certificate at the INEC headquarters in Osogbo on Wednesday, dedicated his victory to the people of Osun State and thanked them for renewing his mandate.

The governor, however, called for sober reflection over the violence recorded during the election, which resulted in injuries, destruction of property and loss of lives.

He announced the establishment of a N500 million Election Violence Victims Endowment Fund to support verified victims and families affected by the violence.

Adeleke said the intervention would be humanitarian and would not discriminate on the basis of political affiliation, religion, ethnicity, gender or social status.

He also disclosed that his family, through the Springtime Development Foundation, would provide full scholarships up to university level for children and dependants of those who lost their lives during the electoral violence.

The governor urged residents to put the election behind them and unite for the development of the state.

“The election is over. The campaign is over. The contest is over. Now is the time to govern, unite, heal and build,” Adeleke said.

He assured residents that his administration would continue to prioritise infrastructure, healthcare, education, workers’ welfare, youth empowerment and economic development, with emphasis on accountability, inclusion and transparency.