The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Ajibola Basiru, has paid a congratulatory visit to Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, following the governor’s victory in the August 15 governorship election, saying the visit was also aimed at building a cross-party political coalition in support of President Bola Tinubu ahead of the January 16 presidential poll.

Basiru visited Adeleke on Sunday at the Government House, Okefia, Osogbo, accompanied by several APC chieftains, including former Deputy Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Akintunde Adegboye, and Comrade Waheed Adediran.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Basiru said his visit had three purposes: to reciprocate a personal gesture by the governor, to formally congratulate him on his electoral victory, and to strengthen political cooperation around President Tinubu’s re-election bid.

“My visit here is threefold. First, I want to thank His Excellency for visiting my family when I lost my mother and for attending her burial in full ceremonial attire. As an Omoluabi, it is proper that I return the courtesy, which I could not do earlier due to the intense election campaign,” he said.

Basiru said he also came to congratulate Adeleke despite the fact that the governor defeated the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, in the governorship election.

“Secondly, I am here to congratulate him on his victory, even though he defeated our party’s candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, for whom I campaigned vigorously across 12 local government areas,” he said.

He said the third reason for the visit was to appreciate Adeleke for endorsing President Tinubu and to signal the APC’s readiness to work with the governor and his supporters ahead of the presidential election.

“Thirdly, I want to thank him for endorsing President Bola Tinubu and to affirm our readiness to work together to deliver Osun massively for the President,” Basiru said.

The APC National Secretary said cross-party political alignments were becoming increasingly common across the country and pointed to developments in Rivers, Anambra and Ekiti States as examples of similar political cooperation.

According to him, the outcome of the recent Osun governorship election showed that such a coalition could significantly strengthen Tinubu’s support base in the state.

Basiru said the APC secured about 46 per cent of the vote in the governorship contest and argued that combining that support with Adeleke’s political structure could produce as many as 1.5 million votes for President Tinubu in the January 16 election.

The visit therefore marks a notable post-election political development in Osun, with the National Secretary of the ruling APC publicly seeking cooperation with a governor who had just defeated his party’s candidate.

Basiru also addressed the security situation in the state following the election, acknowledging that violence had reduced and urging political and transport groups to avoid actions capable of reigniting tension.

He specifically appealed to members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, to resolve leadership disputes peacefully.

The APC chieftain said the governorship contest was over and urged party members to accept the outcome and shift attention to peace, development and the next political engagement.

“Elections have come and gone,” Basiru said.

“While the defeat was painful for us, it is now in the past. My message to APC members and the people of Osun is that we must close ranks, maintain peace, and focus on the progress and development of our state.”

Basiru’s visit comes after Adeleke’s victory over the APC in the August 15 governorship election and suggests that, despite the rivalry between the two parties at the state level, both camps may be exploring a working arrangement around Tinubu’s presidential ambition.

The APC National Secretary’s comments also indicate that the ruling party is looking beyond strict party lines in Osun as it seeks to maximise votes for the President, with Basiru presenting Adeleke’s support for Tinubu as a basis for cooperation despite the recent governorship contest.

______________________________________________________________________ “Enhance Legal Practice With Authoritative Reports” — Alexander Payne Offers Comprehensive Law Reports, Spanning Over A Century Of Nigerian Jurisprudence

Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via: 0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888 Website: www.alexandernigeria.com

_______________________________________________________________________ [A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials
“Evidence Act: Complete Annotation” by renowned legal experts Sanni & Etti.
Available now for NGN 40,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation _______________________________________________________________________ Groundbreaking Guide For Lawyers: Adigwe Publishes ‘Artificial Intelligence For Lawyers’ With Free Research eBook The book also examines Nigeria's legal ecosystem, focusing on the LPELR and NBA AI Guidelines. As a bonus, every purchase comes with a FREE eBook titled: How to Use the AI Features in LegalPedia and LawPavilion. Ohio Books Ltd praises the publication, stating: "....this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic." How to Order: 📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878 📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com 🌎 Website: www.benadigwe.com Ebook Version: Access it directly online at https://selar.com/prv626 Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe Esq., ACIarb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director at the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria. _______________________________________________________________________