The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has congratulated the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State, Sen. Ademola Adeleke, over his victory in Saturday’s gubernatorial election in the state.

Obi equally congratulated the gubernatorial candidate of the Labour Party, Hon Lasun Yusuff, and his running mate, Adeola Atanda, for “a hard-fought battle and their spirit of resolve and sportsmanship, despite the outcome”.

The former governor of Anambra State said the outcome of the just concluded election was not a verdict on the Labour Party’s growing strength nationwide, “especially when viewed against the fact that we are barely one month old in the party”.

The LP presidential standard-bearer said this via a statement he personally issued and made available to The Star on Sunday.

Adeleke had emerged as the winner of the governorship election, polling 403,371 votes, while Governor Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) garnered 375,027 votes.

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The candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Kehinde Atanda, came third with 10,104 votes, while Lasun Yusuff of the Labour Party garnered 2729 votes.

However, Obi, in his reaction, said: “To our the Obidient Movement Family and our supporters nationwide, the outcome of this particular election is not a verdict on our exponentially growing strength nationwide, especially when viewed against the fact that we are barely one month old in the party and we had to contend with forces that have been entrenched in the state for the last two decades.

“However, within this very short period of only a few weeks, the Labour  Party has made its presence and political impact felt nationally.  We must strengthen our collective resolve not relent in our noble march to take back our country.

“Much work remains to be done, hence we must focus the totality of our efforts now on the forthcoming 2023 general election.

“In the fullness of time, our message of rescue and recovery will resonate throughout the length and breadth of the nation and most Nigerian electorate will buy in into our mission to take back Nigeria, for the purpose of rescuing it from continued decline, shift the National psyche from consumption to production and from sharing dwindling resources to creating wealth and frontally combating poverty,” the Labour Party presidential candidate stated.

The Star