Governor Ademola Adeleke’s victory in the Osun governorship election is being followed by an uncomfortable reminder of the cost of political competition, after suspected political thugs opened fire near the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo during the governor’s visit.
The incident happened on Wednesday, just days after Adeleke secured re-election. Reports said gunmen exchanged fire with the governor’s security aides for about 12 to 15 minutes. The violence has now become part of the story surrounding Adeleke’s second term.
A Victory Celebration Interrupted by Violence
Adeleke was visiting the palace of the Osogbo monarch when the shooting occurred. The timing was striking because the governor had only just received his Certificate of Return from INEC after winning the August 15 election. The incident shows how quickly political tensions can continue beyond election day.
Rather than allowing the election to mark the end of political confrontation, the latest attack has raised concerns about whether some of the anger surrounding the contest could continue into Adeleke’s new term. The reports surrounding casualties have varied, so authorities will need to establish exactly what happened and who was responsible.
Adeleke Responds With a ₦500m Fund
Against that background, Adeleke has announced a ₦500 million Election Violence Victims Endowment Fund for verified victims and families affected by electoral violence.
The governor said the fund would provide relief to people who were injured, lost property or lost relatives during the electoral process. He also announced scholarships for children affected by the violence.
Importantly, Adeleke said the intervention would not be based on political affiliation.
“This is not a political fund. It is a humanitarian intervention.”
He added that no eligible victim would be discriminated against because of political party, religion, ethnicity, gender or social status. That could be important in a state where political divisions have become increasingly heated.
The Bigger Test Is What Happens to the Perpetrators
Financial support can help families recover, but it cannot solve the deeper problem. If political violence continues without consequences, compensation risks becoming a way of treating the symptoms rather than the disease.
The bigger question for Adeleke’s government and security agencies is therefore whether those responsible for attacks will actually be identified and prosecuted. Adeleke has said he bears no grudge against his political opponents and has called for the state to move towards healing and unity.
That approach will be tested by how his administration handles political violence going forward.
APC Faces Its Own Post-Election Reckoning
The election has also triggered internal questions within the APC, with party members reportedly looking for explanations for the defeat. Adeleke defeated APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji with 511,067 votes to 444,815, giving him a second term.
The result means the APC now has to decide whether its defeat was mainly a candidate problem, a campaign problem, internal divisions or a broader rejection of its message in Osun.
That debate could shape the party’s future in the state. For Adeleke, however, the immediate challenge is different.
He has won the election. Now he has to prove that his second term can move Osun from political confrontation towards stability, while ensuring that those who paid the highest price during the election are not forgotten.
