The Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Friday, hailed the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), for signing the Electoral Act (2022).
According to him, the piece of legislation, which he said entrenched free and fair elections, aided his emergence as governor in the July 16 governorship polls in 2022.
Adeleke said this when he revealed the talking points of his meeting with the President at around 11:00 am at the State House, Abuja.
This is Adeleke’s first meeting with the President since he assumed office in November 2022.
While briefing journalists, he said, “Since my election, I felt like I should come and say hello to Mr. President and thank him for signing that Electoral Act because I benefited from it.
“That paved way for free and fair elections and the international community is applauding Nigeria, that Nigeria is set for democracy.
“So that is why I’m here today; to see him, thank him and wish him well in his remaining time in office.”
Adeleke revealed that he would engage with the President’s Chief of Staff to design a proper framework for collaboration between the Osun State Government and the Federal Government.
“I will see the Chief of Staff for us to discuss on the way forward for the Federal Government to assist Osun State,” he said.
The President affirmed that the legislation contains salient provisions that could positively revolutionise elections in Nigeria through new technological innovations.
“These innovations would guarantee the constitutional rights of citizens to vote and to do so effectively.
“The Bill would also improve and engender clarity, effectiveness and transparency of the election process, as well as reduce to the barest minimum incidences of acrimony arising from dissatisfied candidates and political parties,” Buhari said.
Five months later, Adeleke, the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate secured 403,371 votes to defeat the immediate past governor, Adegboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress who garnered 375,027 votes.
