Osun Election: Adereti Pledges APC Will Accept Free, Fair Result

The Deputy Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Benjamin Adereti, has pledged that his party will accept the outcome of Saturday’s governorship election if the poll is free and fair.

Adereti gave the assurance amid growing concerns over political violence and tension ahead of the election.

Speaking during a television interview, he said the APC was not interested in winning at the expense of the lives and safety of Osun residents.

“We accept the results of a free and fair election in Osun,” Adereti said.

He also pledged that neither he nor his party would initiate violence or retaliate against attacks.

Earlier in the interview, Adereti had condemned political violence, saying no political position justified the loss of life.

“No blood of any Osun citizen is worth any political post in any election,” he said.

The APC deputy governorship candidate said the party would also support the prosecution of any of its members found to have engaged in violence.

“If any member of my party, the All Progressives Congress, is caught in any of such situations, I can assure you that my party will willingly, voluntarily submit such person for immediate prosecution,” he said.

Adereti expressed confidence in the security agencies and urged them to ensure that voters could freely exercise their franchise.

“I want to trust the state actors. I want to trust the intelligence. I want to trust that the security forces have what it takes to ensure that we have a peaceful election,” he said.

He called for an election based on the principle of one person, one vote, stressing that the choice of the people should determine the next government of the state.

“We want a peaceful election, one man, one vote. No crisis, no rigging, no cheating of any sort. We want the will of the people to count,” he said.

Adereti maintained that the APC was confident of victory, saying its campaign had taken the party across local government areas, wards, markets, traditional institutions and different sectors of the state.

“We have spoken. We have engaged. And we know that the people have made up their mind. We are not losing this election,” he said.

He nevertheless maintained that the party would accept whatever outcome emerged from a credible process, saying the election should be allowed to reflect the will of Osun voters.